President Cyril Ramaphosa raised concerns about declining training numbers of nurses due in part to accreditation delays.
Ramaphosa said this despite a recent uptick in nursing registrations.
He urged the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) to engage proactively in policy development to ensure that the nursing profession evolves alongside the changing landscape of healthcare.
“In an environment where South Africa has a shortage of nurses, we are encouraged that the issue of South African nurses being recruited in large numbers by other countries is also on the agenda,” said Ramaphosa.
Right to dignity matters the most
He also said the support of Denosa will be pivotal as the country prepares for the National Health Insurance (NHI).
Ramaphosa is of the view that the NHI will bring the country closer to its aspiration of being a society where the human dignity of all is upheld at all times.
“The right to dignity matters most when people are sick and need help, and when they are most vulnerable. Our nurses will be the backbone of the NHI,” he said.
He urged the union to be at the forefront of discussions around skilling and training, health systems strengthening, and other crucial matters.
Ramaphosa called on the union to continue its leadership in advocating for nursing while addressing the broader health needs of communities.
He also expressed gratitude for the vital role nurses played during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The president said this during his address at the Nineth National Congress of Denosa on Tuesday. This was the first time he addressed Denosa since the outbreak, highlighting the lasting impact of healthcare workers in the fight against the virus.
Nursing is a calling
He reflected on the significant changes caused by the pandemic, including the loss of lives and the challenges encountered by healthcare workers.
“We lost a number of nurses and healthcare workers, brave men and women who were at the frontline of the pandemic. Brave is not an adequate word to describe them.
“Many of you faced the danger of being infected and death, but you still went on to care for those who were affected.”
Ramaphosa encouraged attendees to observe a moment of silence in honour of the brave nurses and healthcare professionals who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving on the front lines.
“For you who are in the profession, nursing is a calling. It requires a strength of character and commitment to service that is rare.”
He highlighted the long history of struggle for equity in the nursing profession, particularly among black nurses during apartheid, who fought tirelessly for their rights amid systemic inequalities.
“Black nurses were expected to only care for black patients in black-only hospitals. The hospitals and clinics assigned to serve the country’s majority were underresourced and chronically underfunded.
“Black nurses had unfavourable working conditions, were paid less than their white counterparts, and had fewer opportunities for advancement,” he said.
Decades of advocacy and service
He reiterated his statements made during this year’s State of the Nation Address, that the government will allocate resources to the health sector, build hospitals and clinics, and strengthen the healthcare system.
“This is the commitment that we’re going to achieve, and this is what we’re going to do.”
Ramaphosa also took the time to commend Denosa for its nearly three decades of advocacy and service and emphasised the organisation’s pivotal role in shaping nursing policy in South Africa.
He said: “We all appreciate the difficult balance that must be struck between advocacy and activism, on the one hand, and fulfilling the rights of patients to treatment and care, on the other hand.
“I’d like to thank you all once again for being frontline soldiers of our people’s health … you are the ones who take your heart and full dedication to serving the people of South Africa, and we’re eternally grateful for that.” – SAnews.gov.za
