Addressing a meeting with Matrons of hospital across the country on Friday February 10, 2017 in the conference hall of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, the Deputy Minister 1 described nursing as a respectable and honourable profession and appealed to Matron of hospitals in the country to adapt a culture of professionalism within the ethics and code of practice of the profession.
Madam Rahman noted the short falls in the profession and unethical attitude of some nurses, portraying the image of the profession in a negative perspective and reminded them that based on the current measures now put in place ‘there is not going to be business as usual’.
Money, Madam Rahman reminded her audience must come last and not self, noting that nursing is the only profession that deals with life, and life-saving comes first.
She encouraged nurses to be God fearing in the discharge of their duties noting that the job is sacrificial but with a divine reward.
Madam Rahman outlined the progress made from the lessons learnt from the Ebola outbreak, adding that she is very optimistic that things will change for the better in the lives of every medical personnel across the country.
The Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Matron Hossinatu Koroma underscored the importance of best practice as enshrined in the code of ethics and conduct of the profession and expressed the need for positive change.
She spoke about the new team in her Directorate and the establishment of four new units that would be looking at Administration: promotion, transfers, postings, annual leave, maternity and study leave, education, research and continuous performance development, quality assurance and policy, auditing, public health and community based services.
Matron Koroma reiterated that with her new team they are poised to make the necessary difference, and that first in the history of the Directorate they would be training Midwives to become Obstetrics Physicians.
She disclosed that a lot of reforms have taken place in the Ministry, with the Nursing Directorate not beign an exception.
Matron Koroma disclosed the review of the National Health Sector Strategic Policy, the Basic Package of Essential Health Services, a work on five thematic areas which includes patient and health workers safety using the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) structure, restoration of essential health services on reproductive health and newborn care, surveillance and malaria control and prevention among others.
She said they have measured human resources for health and the personnel required to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in the country, taking into account the gaps to be filled, the role of Community Health Workers, community ownership and participation, Health Information System, Surveillance and Maternal Death Review for the validation of accurate and credible data across the country.
Other key areas highlighted includes the challenge to groom the lower cadre, the need for more practicing Midwives and State Registered Nurses, role of nurses to the six new University Teaching hospitals in the country, the role of the new Board Members of the Teaching hospital, and the misuse of the social media by some nursing colleagues.
