VEREENIGING. – Sedibeng District’s Health Department commemorated International Nurse’s Day on Friday at the Banquet Hall in Vereeniging. This year, the day was celebrated under the theme ‘Our Nurses, Our Future’.

While the event highlighted the plight faced by nurses in their field of work, it also brought to light their unwavering commitment to communities through the work they did during the Covid-19 pandemic, with some having lost their lives.

Speaking to Sedibeng Ster on the day, Sedibeng District Primary Health Care Manager Disebo Pepenene said: “We are here to give recognition to our nurses from all the municipalities in the district. They are our soldiers and today we honor them for the work they have done and continue to do. On this day, we also remember our fallen soldiers who lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We must continue to give them recognition because they are the reason, we have a working health system. They continue to carry on the baton we were left by Florence Nightingale who was born on this day, 12 May 1820.”

Pepenene said that the nurses should be given credit as they continue to soldier even when faced with adversity.

Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM) MMC for Health Services Lola Mokoena said it is necessary to commemorate the day as it is an indication to the nursing profession that they are appreciated for the work they do as it does not go unnoticed.

“We support our nurses and we believe that the job they do is important to our society. It is important that we show them that they have our full support. Mokoena said it is important to remember that Nurses are human beings before anything, which is why it is important that they are reassured and given compassion as their line of work is challenging.”

The event ended with a certificate handing over the ceremony where nurses from all over Sedibeng, including veterans we awarded for the work they do.