Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa

MEDIA ALERT

Tuesday, 21 May 2019

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in KwaZulu-Natal, in collaboration with the provincial Department of Health, will be hosting International Nurses Day event for the nurses in the province at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday 22 May.

The event will be held under this year’s theme for International Nurses Day, which is: “Nurses – A Voice To Lead – Health For All”.

The event will also highlight the need to enhance and advance quality healthcare for all through the use of National Health Insurance (NHI), and to advocate for the realization of Nursing Education as a critical indicator of community-oriented healthcare system.

DENOSA 1^st Deputy President, Professor Mavis Mulaudzi, will deliver the keynote address. Deputy Director-General at the Department at the Department of Health, Dr Zungu, will also address the event.

Members of the media are cordially invited to the event:

For more information, contact:

DENOSA Provincial Secretary: Mandla Shabangu – 071 643 3369  

End

Issued jointly by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in KwaZulu-Natal and KZN Department of Health

……………………….

BACKGROUND:  

As the world observed International Nurses Day yesterday under the theme “Nurses – A Voice to Lead – Health for All”, with more events commemorating the day still lined up throughout the country in the month of May, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) would like to applaud the excellent role that nurses continue to play in fighting diseases and illnesses despite the many challenges that they work under.

It is without a doubt that the many health successes the country registered over the years are thanks to the sterling work that nurses continue to do. Successes in terms of health outcomes are there for everyone to see, with the increased life expectancy among South Africans being the main outcome.

SA boasts having the world's biggest Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) programme that manages HIV, which is led by nurses. Since 2010, when nurses underwent training on the nurse-led Nurse-Initiated Management of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (NIMART), the many deaths caused by HIV/AIDS have been reduced drastically and people living with HIV are now living longer, working and providing for their families, and are healthier. NIMART meant that, just like doctors, nurses could test and give medication to HIV positive patients.        

Similarly, the country is leading in the world with its fight against TB, which, just like HIV/AIDS, was as deadly before. These and many other success stories in our healthcare are owed to the diligent work that nurses continue to do in our health facilities, often with little appreciation.  

Despite the many successes, however, DENOSA would like to point to a number of systemic factors that are preventing both nurses from unleashing their full potential in rendering healthcare that is accessible to all and the country from achieving even greater positive health outcomes, including the realization of universal health coverage: 

• The shortage of staff, medication, equipment and resources in facilities which often lead to community members getting angry at nurses and thus seeing the profession in a negative light; 

• Poor support of nurses by the Departments of Health;

• Lack of Continuous Professional Development opportunities afforded to nurses at work due to shortage of staff and poor HR Planning;

• Poor remuneration of nurses; 

• Poor safety for health workers and patients in health facilities; 

DENOSA would like to call on communities to come on board and make their voice heard about the challenges above, because they affect the very same communities. 

Furthermore, strengthened prevention programmes could do even more health services for communities if more nurses were to be hired by government in our public primary health facilities, which look after 84% of the country’s population plus people from other countries.  

In order for all communities and people to access our healthcare, the expansion of operating hours for many clinics into 24-hour service centres, fully staffed, well-resourced and equipped, must be realized. This will practicalize a truly re-engineered primary healthcare in the country.

DENOSA bows to every single nurse for making a difference in the lives of the people in their most vulnerable state. 

DENOSA has and will continue to host International Nurses Day celebrations for nurses in provinces in the following dates: 

End