Celebrating 27 years of uniting nurses

THE 2023 ICN CONGRESS CONCLUDES IN CANADA.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) 2023 Congress, held over five days from 1 July 2023 in Montreal, Canada, was a resounding success as representatives from national nurses associations (NNA) in 130 countries and nurse leaders as well as practicing nurses gathered heads to bring about real solutions to the challenges experienced by the world’s 28 million nursing workforce post- the COVID-19 global pandemic.

South Africa was represented by the DENOSA contingent led by its President, Simon Hlungwani, 1st Deputy President, Professor Mavis Mulaudzi, and General Secretary, Kwena Manamela and DENOSA leaders and nurse leaders from various structures as well as practicing nurses.

Also present from South Africa were Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Dr Nonhlanhla Makhanya from the Department of Health, representatives from the South African Nursing Council (SANC).

This year’s congress was focused on the safety of healthcare workers as priority for patient safety, support and the wellbeing of nurses, innovation, as well as the need for the increase in the production of nurses globally.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), through its Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, informed the Day 3 of the Congress virtually that the world’s health body will produce the second State of the World Nursing report, which will show the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and how the world can rebuild the global nursing workforce.

The migration of nurses from under-developed and developing countries to the, owing to the global nursing workforce shortage, to the developed countries also featured prominently at this congress.

Minister of Health in Canada, Jean Vyes Duclos, affirmed that the issue of global shortage of nurses and the impact of international recruitment of nurses from low-income countries to high-income was featured in the recent G7 meeting. “We can’t rely on international recruitment. We have to do our share by training by training and supporting our existing nurses,” he told the congress. He said the G7 meeting committed to strive to be self-sufficient in producing nurses.

The Congress concluded on 5 July 2023.

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