Chairperson of the Ann Latsky College Council, and Council Members,
Principal of Ann Latsky Nursing Colleges; and Academic Staff,
Principals of other Gauteng Nursing Colleges,
Head of the Nursing Faculty of University of Johannesburg,
Nursing Service Managers from Affiliated hospitals and clinics,
Family Members of Diplomats,
Our distinguished guests,
The Diplomats,
Ladies and gentlemen
It is an honour and privilege to celebrate your achievement on this memorable day in the life of your Nursing Career.
Government acknowledges that nurses remain the foundation and back bone of our Health System. Indeed nurses are the first point of contact between patients and the Health Care System.
We also acknowledge that as nurses you make up the majority of Health Workers in our Country; therefore you are the future of the transforming Health Care System in SA.
We value you because your training has equipped you to serve the ill, the infirm and those who come to our facilities when they are at their most vulnerable state. Even most medical doctors acknowledge that they amass a lot of experience in terms of patient care from nurses.
Therefore throughout your working career you also impart knowledge which is invaluable to other categories of health professionals. As you have completed your post-graduate studies, we hope that you will contribute to improving health outcomes in the public health sector.
You will be cognizant of the fact that we face a dire shortage in the areas of midwifery, theatre nurses, paediatrics and primary health care. I will therefore plead with you to continue prioritizing these disciplines when you consider furthering your studies.
This means that the areas of specialisation should be informed by, and respond to our challenges as a province. Most of you will be aware of the acute shortage of advanced mid-wives our country is facing.
More so when visits to Ante-Natal Care clinics are still low, thus contributing to complications when women suddenly present themselves at our facilities just before delivery. I also plead for your assistance to assist us in educating our clerks and security guards not to chase any patients away, especially pregnant women.
All of you are aware of the global shortage of over 4 million Health Workers. Africa as a continent has a shortage of 1 million Health Workers. This shortage impacts negatively on our efforts to strive towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The Ann Latsky Nursing College has produced a total of 172 Primary Health Care Nurses over the past three years and the total produced in the province during this period was 428.
There are also a total of 95 Professional Nurses currently registered for the one year diploma in Midwifery and they should be available to work in the midwifery units by October as they are on study leave from their employing institutions.
We are mindful of the skewed distribution of Nurses and Doctors in our country. This skewed distribution is in favor of the Private Sector.
The hemorrhaging of Health Professionals to overseas countries also exacerbates the critical shortages of Health Professionals as they continue to leave for First world countries who willingly poach them.
As you graduate today, our country is faced with a changing burden of disease, namely non communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity because of unhealthy life styles. This is also exarcerbated by high levels of poverty.
In spite of the challenges that we face, our province leads the country in producing the largest number of Health Professionals. Since 2004 we have produced 12, 813 nurses in all categories (Specialist nurses, Professional Nurses, Enrolled Nurses and Auxiliary Nurses).
It is therefore very important to remind you as Diplomates, of the priorities that were outlined by the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi in January 2010. These are:
- Increasing the life expectancy at birth;
- Combating HIV/AIDS;
- Decreasing the burden of disease
- Improving the health system effectiveness, Primary Health Care and reducing costs in health care.
My message therefore is that as you enter the health care system and represent the aspirations of the President, the Minister of Health and the people of South Africa; your healing hands and your caring heart will contribute immensely to achieving the goals that have been set.
If you live up to the pronouncements in your pledge of service and think of how many lives you will give hope to on a daily basis – by just rendering basic care, a clean bed, stopping to just talk to your patients, your contribution will never be underestimated.
You are also called upon to be able to refer patients for Social support, where appropriate. This will go a long way towards changing the way the public perceives us and restore the glorious image of the health care workers to that of a beacon of light and hope.
You are therefore expected to remain dedicated in spite of adverse working conditions. This will justify the investment government had made in your training. I have been reliably informed that it costs at least R140 000.00 per annum to train a professional nurse.
The people that you are expected to serve place their lives in your hands, you are therefore expected to reciprocate this faith by rendering competent nursing/midwifery care and most of all to do so with a caring attitude.
We are confident that you will walk in the footsteps of the majority of our health care workers who perform miracles at our health facilities. The National Department of Health has identified Six Core National Standards which will define patient experience in our health facilities.
These non-negotiable Six Core Standards are:
- Values and attitudes of staff
- Cleanliness of our facilities
- Improved waiting times
- Patient and staff safety and security
- Infection prevention and control; and
- Availability of medicines and supplies
We will be judged by adherence to these standards! I also have no doubt in my mind that you will take up this challenge and be the foot soldiers in this noble course and make our Country proud, you will be a part of the solution.
I am looking forward to visit health facilities and come across all of you without exception, wearing your uniforms with pride. It distresses me when visiting institutions and not being able to identify nurses because a minority still refuse to wear their uniforms. I am confident you will not swell the ranks of that minority!
I take this opportunity to congratulate you, we are proud of you – let your efforts be a labour of love even though you would sometimes feel it is a hard slog.
You have chosen a noble profession. You have responded to a calling which is demanding, and yet rewarding and fulfilling. You will walk on the footsteps of noble heroines such as Albertina Sisulu and Adelaide Tambo! You will be rewarded with experience and skills that will be of value for the rest of your working life.
I therefore take this opportunity to assure you that as the department we are available to work with you to ensure that the training that you have undergone responds to the needs of the people of Gauteng.
I thank you!
