KZN’s Health MEC describes nurses as ‘backbone of the department’

KZN health MEC, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said without the hard work and determination of nurses, the province would neither have been able to reduce the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV from 20 percent to just 1,2 percent in one decade; nor enroll a whopping 1,3 million people on its anti-retroviral treatment programme, Rising Sun Overport reports.

MEC Dhlomo has urged young nurses to always display a positive and caring attitude towards patients.

He called upon them to emulate the values of freedom fighter and former nurse, Albertina Sisulu, who would have turned 100 this year.

The MEC also vowed that the department would continue to lobby for more funding in order to employ nurses, to improve the quality of health-care, decrease the workload on its existing workforce, and heighten the experience of those who visit health facilities.

A graduation ceremony recently took place amid a jubilant atmosphere as the graduands’ many years of academic hard work finally paid off.

“This is a wonderful occasion for us. We congratulate the nurses who are graduating,” he said.

He described nurses as the backbone of the department.

“We have nurses in this province who have assisted us to reduce the rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In 2008, 20 percent of women who were pregnant would give birth to an HIV positive baby. To date, we only have 1,2 percent. It’s a wonderful achievement. If we were to rely on doctors, we would not be where we are,” he said.

MEC Dhlomo, however, further urged nurses to treat patients with care and respect.

He emphasised that despite limited funding for health, the department would continue to look for ways to hire more nurses.

Acting head of department, Dr Musa Gumede also congratulated the graduates, stating that they make the department and province immensely proud.