Posted 27 February 2018 - 00:01
Posted 27 February 2018 - 00:01
News
Global launch of Nursing Now campaign
Nurses will join with the Duchess of Cambridge and health leaders from across the world today to launch a global campaign to raise the profile of their profession.
Nurses will join with the Duchess of Cambridge and health leaders from across the world today to launch a global campaign to raise the profile of their profession.
Picture: Getty
Her royal highness will take part in a discussion with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief nursing officer and the president of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), and give a speech calling on governments to value nurses and commit to championing their input in tackling global health concerns.
The event is being held at St Thomas’ Hospital in London to mark the launch of Nursing Now and will be timed to coincide with similar events around the world, including one in Geneva, Switzerland.
Recognition, learning and leading
Nursing Now aims to recognise the significant role nurses play in health promotion, disease prevention and treatment and care – and ensure they are able to learn and lead.
Botswana nurse educator and Nursing Now co-chair Sheila Tlou said: 'The campaign is about supporting nurses to lead, to learn and to strengthen the profession.
‘We will equip them through training, support and the development of political leadership skills to take their rightful place at the table when decisions are being taken about the future shape of healthcare in their countries.’
The WHO estimates nurses and midwives represent almost half the total number of health workers around the world.
However, for all countries to reach the United Nations’ sustainable development goal of health and well-being for all at all ages, WHO says the world will need an additional nine million nurses and midwives by 2030.
International Council of Nurses' launch
The ICN will use the launch of Nursing Now to release its report and set of resources called Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health is a Human Right, which shares many of the same aims as Nursing Now.
ICN president Annette Kennedy said: ‘Through our 133 national nursing associations, we know of the great work nurses are doing to deliver care and improve health, but we also know how tough their working lives can be.
‘Nurses are the answer but we need real investment and support.’
WHO’s chief nursing officer Elizabeth Iro added: ‘Nurses and midwives represent the largest share of health workers and provide care for our families and our communities when we need them most.’
Stronger nursing voice
The three-year global Nursing Now campaign is being run as a programme of the Burdett Trust for Nursing, in collaboration with the ICN and WHO.
Nursing Now was founded by nurses and other health experts based on the findings of the 2016 Triple Impact report produced by the UK’s All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Health co-chaired by former NHS chief executive Lord Nigel Crisp, who is also co-chair of the Nursing Now board.
The report concluded that strengthening nursing globally would have a triple impact of improving health, improving gender equality by empowering women and building stronger economies.
Further information
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