Nurses are a prominent professional for the National Health System – Secretary of State for Health

This consideration was made today, May 12, by the Deputy Secretary of State for the Minister of Health, Evandro Monteiro, at the opening of the Central Act commemorating the International Nurses Day, promoted by the Installing Commission of the Order of Nurses of Cape Verde, in the city from beach.

“I have no doubt that they are, for the National Health System, for our nation and for the world, this outstanding professional who, like no other, reflects the fundamental role that a caregiver, care provider and guarantee of well-being , has for any society, Cape Verde being no exception” he said.

For the Secretary of State, nurses have been one of the drivers of health responses as a qualitative reflection that drives the sector. “Nursing has always been an important profession for society and, with the pandemic, it gained even greater centrality and strength around the world.”

He stressed that in recent years, this class has achieved important gains, namely the creation of the Installation Commission and the election of the first President of the Order, the reinforcement with more nurses since the nurse/inhabitant ratio went from 15/10,000, in 2017, to 19 /10,000 in 2021 and assured that the ministry has been working on the new strategic plan for health human resources that will address technical, training, and specialization issues and will take into account the necessary quantity.

Evandro Monteiro also recognized that the performance of nurses has been witnessed in all areas, from promotional and preventive aspects, linked to primary care, in extended vaccination, in combating and vaccinating against COVID-19 and specifically, in communication and in reinforcing the changes and adoption of a healthy lifestyle, in community work, at home, but also at the Hospital level, in the face of difficulties in all corners of Cape Verde.

The main act of the International Nurses Day was also attended by the Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Daniel Kertezs, who said that nurses play a fundamental role in the provision of health care and are often “the heroes unknown”, as they are often the first to detect emergencies and work on the front line, in disease prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. In this sense, it considered that for the world to reach the goal of “health for all” it will depend on the existence of sufficient human resources, especially nurses.

For the President of the Installing Committee of the Ordem dos Enfermeiros José Carlos Viera, the valuation of the nurse involves exercising the profession in dignified conditions, being respected, benefiting from continuous and specialized training, without forgetting that the professional himself has to value himself, self-train and strive to provide a service of excellence.

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on May 12, this year under the motto, Our Nurses, Our Future.