KEETMANSHOOP - The invaluable effort and sacrifice of nurses often pass unnoticed, they are unappreciated and sometimes get unfairly criticised by the public but most remain resolute and professional.
//Kharas governor Aletha Frederick, also a health professional, this week hailed nurses in the region who helped weather the unprecedented Covid-19 storm through several waves.
Frederick was speaking at the official opening of a training session for nurses working in high care units, which took place at the University of Namibia (Unam) southern campus in Keetmanshoop this week.
She expressed her pride and thanked all frontline workers in //Kharas for exceeding residents’ expectations through rising to the demands of treating Covid-19 patients.
“I believe this is done sometimes at a potential cost to your health and wellbeing in most cases; therefore, many of us are indebted to express our gratitude to you for your heroism,” she said.
She called on the trainees to, for the sake of their professional pledge and love for what they are doing, continue to do their job compassionately as responsible citizens even though at times their efforts pass unnoticed, are unappreciated and are criticised.
“By demonstrating your resoluteness in honour of your ‘calling’ with the support of your professional skills, your dedication and response to the call of your duties at the most trying times in the history of our health sector are indeed commendable,” she said.
The governor also acknowledged the increasing recognition of the potential mental health impact of Covid-19 on frontline and health workers.
“Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to the health ministry to look into this component of psycho-social support for nurses and finding a way to address these gaps urgently and adequately,” she added. Frederick said the workshop will sharpen the participants’ knowledge and skills and in addition fill them with confidence and encourage them to serve those in need.
She said training is a central part of an effective and efficient service delivery component that is required to manage Covid-19 while preserving and enhancing access to essential health services.
“Our region was no exception in losing so many lives and productive citizens due to the unprecedented and invisible enemy Covid-19, that has heavily impacted the world, including Namibia,” she explained.
She also said the political development agendas of various parties will now, more than ever demand unity and combined efforts in order to defeat Covid-19.
“Government has put aggressive multi-sectoral response programmes and bought vaccines whilst continuously encouraging the nation to go for vaccination so that the painful situation we went through cannot return,” the politician added.
Explaining the purpose of the event, she said it is to initiate and endorse this very important training through which Unam as an important stakeholder has reached out to train nurses, especially those tirelessly working in high care units in health facilities in the //Kharas region.
Frederick, furthermore, expressed her profound gratitude towards Unam’s leadership for being proactive in teaming up with the University of Cardiff and introducing the much-needed training.
“This was indeed a noble gesture from Unam in cooperation with the Oxygen Namibia Grant by the Wales government, promoting the Republic of Namibia’s mission to promote health, keeping the country safe, and serving the vulnerable,” she said.
-sklukowski@nepc.com.na