Ghana marks International Nurses’ day and Nurses week

Mr. Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin, Minister of Health on Friday applauded the collective dedication and hard work of nurses and midwives working around the country to ensure the delivery of a healthy population for national development.

“Through your dedication and commitment, we have as a nation made significant progress in addressing issues of accessibility and equity and bringing hope to our citizens,” he said.

Mr. Bagbin, was addressing participants at the national launch of the 2012 International Nurses’ Day and Nurses’ week celebrations in Accra.

He however urged them to take care of their health by observing healthy lifestyles such as eating balance diets, resting and regular exercising so as to gain physical, spiritual and mental strength to serve their clients better.

The celebrations was on the theme:”Nurses’ and Midwives: Caring and Advocating Peaceful 2012 General Election.”

The occasion was used to pay tribute to the founder of Nursing, Florence Nightingale and also acknowledged the work of members of the profession.

Mr. Bagbin stressed on the importance of a stable and peaceful atmosphere for care giving, and therefore commended the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) for selecting the theme especially at the wake of the recent experiences during the just ended nationwide Biometric Voter Registration exercise.

He urged the Association to organize street walks to drum home the need for Ghanaians to appreciate the peace and democratic dispensation in the country, rather than trade it for war and ethnicity to destroy the unity what has been an envy to most African countries.

The Health Minister acknowledged that although many well meaning Ghanaians have remained committed to ensuring that Ghana maintains the unity before and after the elections, it is also critical that associations like the GRNA and other bodies get involve in order to touch the soft spots of potential trouble makers to make the campaign for peaceful elections more realistic.

He commended members of the Association on the outcome of a recent assessment on the performances of nurses in the sector which showed great improvement in attitudes and services of nurses and midwives towards their clients.

He however asked the personnel not to be complacent about the present, but rather use it as a time for sober reflection on the expectations of the people and the special challenges of the health sector in the country.

Mr. Bagbin said the health sector also faces challenges such as equity of service to less privileged areas of the country, discrepancies in the Single Spine Salary Scheme of health workers as well as the limited incentives for the retention of professionals.

He pledged government’s commitment to stay focused to ensure that the vision of the sector is realised.

Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Catholic Archbishop of Accra, reminded the medical professionals of the fact that, nursing and midwifery is a call vocation and therefore anyone who is called into the service must possess the qualities and attributes of its founder and to hail peace, love and unity for national development.

He reminded Ghanaians to be wary of any ploy to destabilise the country, adding that the best way to go about a problem is to pray.

Mr. Kweku Asante-Krobea, President of the GRNA called on stakeholders to join hands with the Association to educate Ghanaians on the need for peace and unity.

Mr. George Kumi Kyeremeh, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, asked members of the profession to observe the Patients Charter in order to uphold their human rights.

“As care givers, there is the need for you to maintain healthy lives so that you can provide effective care and services to your clients,” he said.

He also urged the Ministry of health to pursue policies that would ensure the welfare of Nurses’ and Midwives.**