The nurses of Helen Joseph Hospital took to the streets on 9 May at the start of Nurses Week.
The global initiative celebrating nurses takes place officially on 12 May, which is the birthday of the late Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.
As part of commemorating Nurses Week, the nurses from Helen Joseph Hospital, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, the Ann Latsky Nursing College, and the University of Johannesburg Nursing College, marched to Campus Square in Auckland Park and back to the hospital led by the Ebenezer Maranatha Institute marching band and assisted by Metro Police, to show thanks and appreciation to the nursing profession.
The purpose of the march was to mark the important role nurses play in the health care system. The programme started with a prayer, followed by speeches from senior nurses who gave thanks to nurses for the great job that they have been doing.
Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Steve Mabona was present and said that he was pleased with how the march went. “We are here to celebrate nurses and we acknowledge the hardships that they go through, from being physically or verbally abused by patients, to dealing with difficulties with equipment and still managing to do their jobs in the end,” said Mabona.
Mabona also mentioned that the Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu is concerned about the number of attacks against health professionals in public health facilities and has called upon patients, their family members and the public to refrain from physically and verbally abusing health professionals.
A nurse from Helen Joseph, Sipho Mbuyana said, “Nurses are doing a great job irrespective of the challenges they face and we are happy to be celebrating our profession today.”
The nurses will enjoy a full week of workshops, quizzes and a lunch celebration on 12 May to honour the birthday and contribution of Florence Nightingale.
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