08 Jun 2014

The Minister of Health, Dr John Seakgosing says nurses are crucial to the health care system.

Dr Seakgosing noted this at the annual Botswana Nurses Day in Ghanzi on June 5. Nurses Day celebrations were held under the theme Nurses: A Force for Change, A Vital Resource for Health.

He said nurses were fundamental in any level of health care delivery; adding they were instrumental in making an impact in patient outcomes. He said investing in nursing could make a significant difference in the health care services. 

He said research had shown that affordable nursing interventions could effectively contribute towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals, as well as in reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases. 

He said efforts had to be made to equip nurses with necessary knowledge and skills to match the dynamic changes in health. Dr Seakgosing said there was need for concerted efforts to make nursing closer to what it used to be from time immemorial.

He said although Botswana was vast and with a sparse population, Batswana required equitable accessibility to quality health services. He explained that such was difficult to achieve if the nurses were not adequately and appropriately prepared.

He noted that nurses were the largest group of health workers. Therefore he said they were closest, and the only health workers who had a great responsibility to improve the health of the population. He added that nurses contributed immensely to the Millennium Development Goals.

Therefore, Minister Seakgosing said nurses and other health workers needed to change how they worked; especially to the dynamic change in the scope of practice, burden of diseases and the new technology. 

He said his ministry had undertaken various initiatives in an attempt to be at par with these challenges and changes. For her part, deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Ms Thandie Kgosiesele urged nurses to view health in a spiritual manner.  

She said health was defined by mental and physical status; therefore said nurses should now define health in a spiritual manner. She said they should seek God’s guidance in order to work around their challenges in the workplace. ENDS