ZIMBABWE is set to host a Nursing and Midwifery Summit in the capital, Harare on May 6, 2019 at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
HealthTimes Reporter
The summit is set to attract delegates from the nursing fraternity, the ministry of health and child care as well as well as players from the health sector.
Speaking to HealthTimes, Nursing Now Zimbabwe national coordinator, Munashe Nyika, said the Nursing, Midwifery and UHC Summit is an initiative being organised as part of a program called Nursing Now.
Nursing Now is a global program aimed at raising the status and profile of nursing worldwide. It seeks to empower and enable nurses to take up their place at the heart of efforts to tackle 21st century health challenges and ensure that everyone globally has access to healthcare.
“Launched at two global events in London and Geneva in February 2018, the program is being run in association with the International Council of Nurses and with support from the World Health Organization. Since the launch of Nursing Now, countries across the world have worked to launch locally within their countries in joining the rest of the world in celebrating nursing,” said Nyika
He added that the program would run for three years in working towards the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale in 2020.
“Nursing Now Zimbabwe seeks to be a platform to increase the visibility of nursing and midwifery through recognising and celebrating the role nurses and midwives play in contributing to health within our society particularly in Primary Health Care.
“The program will be launched at the Nursing and Midwifery Universal Health Coverage Summit be held at the Harare International Conference Centre on the 6th of May 2019.”
The Nursing and Midwifery UHC Summit is also set to bring together the health and development community, including leaders and stakeholders in Nursing and Midwifery, to celebrate Nursing and Midwifery’s role in contributing towards Universal Health Coverage within the country.
“The event will see presentations on Nursing, Midwifery, Universal Health Coverage, Primary Health Care and the Sustainable Development Goals in sharing on the profession’s contribution to society and impact in driving the Health for All agenda.
“The event will be an opportunity to showcase research in nursing and midwifery in the country, in line with the national Strategic Direction for Nursing and Midwifery 2016-2020 and country’s Vision 2030.”
Meanwhile, through the event, Nursing Now Zimbabwe will be launched as a platform that seeks to raise the status and profile of nursing in the country leading up to 2020 which will be the year of the 200th Anniversary of Florence Nightingale.
The event is being led by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, will be held with assistance and collaboration of stakeholders of Nursing and Midwifery in the country – policy, regulation, education and welfare.
“The Summit will be supported by academia and will seek to engage discussion around Universal Health Coverage and the drive towards Health For All. The event will feature key note speeches, research presentations in Nursing and Midwifery, and discussions around Nursing and Midwifery being the key to quality, cost-effective healthcare systems.
“The Summit will also give key stakeholders opportunity to engage discussion on building a high quality healthcare workforce of the 21st century that contributes to health, and social and economic development.”
