SEBOKENG. – “Nurses remain the backbone of the health sector and continue to play an important role in saving lives,” said the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla.
Speaking during the celebration of the International Nurses Day at the Zone 17 Clinic in Sebokeng yesterday, Phaahla said that the day forms part of Employees Value Proposition programme aimed at improving staff morale and recognising excellence in their department.
The Minister was joined by Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr Bandile Masuku, Sedibeng District Municipality and Emfuleni Local Municipality MMCs for Health and Ward Councillor Griffith Mzizi.
Nurses said that they and people in general are at risk of contracting and spreading Covid 19 whether they take precautions and self-sanitize or not. Sister Dolly, the manager of the clinic, thanked the Health Department for the day to be celebrated at this clinic.
“We always believe that we are winners. The journey started in 2017 whereby we said that one day, as long as we hold hands together we will be the winners. Our aim has since been to give the best, and excellent services with a good mission.” She added that her staff is not there for money but to make sure that the community leaves the building with confidence.
Simphiwe Gaga from the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) said that the day marked the celebration of nurse with pride of the work conducted by all.
“As DENOSA we thank our nurses for demonstrating and for fighting all kinds of sickness making sure people can live longer. Thanks to nurses for demonstrating bravery to fight and face the Covid-19.”
He said that the Government has got the capacity to fight Covid -19 just as they managed to face and challenge the Aids virus. He added that the Health MEC must come up with programs that will be supported by all with the aim that nurses find value in their work.
“We are happy for the MEC to build a strong relationship with the nurses and all departments. The issues of attacking nurses should be thing of the past,” Gaga.
DR Masuku said the reason to choose the Zone 17 Clinic as a place to celebrate the day was that it was amongst the best in the province.
“We are going to lead with you shoulder by shoulder. We don’t want to lead you from the outside, but we want to lead with you. It’s important to increase the number of workers to make sure that they work conclusively. To also improve staff morale also knowing they can become better nurses. Provision of the tools of trade has to be there without compromising and management should be consultative.”
Phaahla said without nurses the country will collapse.
“We owe our lives to the nurse from birth to where we are. You are the bringer of lives and take care of it.”
The minister encouraged all nurses and service providers to keep on doing the good job.
