Nurses Hailed for their Resilience and Sacrifice during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Nurses at the Nkwen Baptist Hospital on May 12, 2021, joined their counterparts the world over to commemorate International Nurses Day. The event celebrated every May 12 in honour of nurses as essential caretakers for a prosperous society, took place at the premises of the Hospital in the presence of nurses, hospital, and Administrative staff.
In her Clarion call to the nurses whose extraordinary contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic is proof of their dedication and hard work towards nursing, the Supervisor of Nursing Services (SNS) Mrs. Chimi Emmerencia used the occasion to laud the work of all those who find themselves in this Nobel Profession, calling for continuous commitment, loving, and compassionate care. She commended the nurses of this facility who, thanks to their selfless service, devotion, and sacrifice to humanity have contributed immensely to the growth of the Hospital and have also contributed to the upholding of the values of the profession. This has come amidst challenges especially that of COVID-19 when they have proven to be like soldiers on a war front and are ready to face all health conditions that people present with. She hailed them for standing strong without giving up.
Drawing from the theme of the year “Nurses a Voice to Lead, a vision for future healthcare”, the SNS expatiated how the nursing profession has evolved in the era of the novel coronavirus, with nurses contributing to research on how best to handle infected patients. She buttressed that the vision for the future is for the whole world to depend on nurses, whose presence has been made more visible and valuable by the COVID-19 pandemic. To create more impact, nurses on their part were challenged to empower themselves with knowledge through research and work in collaboration with the government to craft policies that will positively affect the nursing profession.
The Director of the CBC Health Services was represented at the ceremony by the Personnel Manager Mr. Ndosack George. He called on the nurses to continue to emulate the values laid down for the profession and put into practice the lyrics of the Nurses’ Anthem. He announced that NBH apart from becoming one of the central Hospitals of the CBC Health Services will also act as a pilot centre in ongoing plans to computerize healthcare services within the institution.
It is worth noting that the nursing profession is greatly embraced by the female gender. The same situation upholds at the NBH where more than 90% of the nurses are women. According to the SNS, this goes back to the history of the nursing profession and can also be attributed to the caring nature of women. More men are however encouraged to become part of this life-saving profession.
The event was marked by an award to the Nurse of the Year 2020, Mme Ndum Emerencia Munget who has served the CBC Health Services in this profession for 24 years. She attributes this recognition to God who gives her the strength and the zeal to continue. The certificate came with some financial appreciation from the Director of Health Services, Prof. Tih Pius Muffih.
The celebration of International Nurses Day started in 1965 by the International Council of Nurses (ICN). This day is the birth anniversary of the famous Florence Nightingale. She was an English Nurse, Social Reformer, and Statistician. She gained fame during the Crimean war when she served as a manager and trainer of nurses and became the pillar of modern-day nursing.