WHO urges support for nurses to boost anti-COVID battle

There is a need for governments and multilateral lenders to improve the welfare of nurses and other frontline health workers involved in the war against COVID-19, an official with the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, acknowledged the immense contribution of nurses in the prevention and treatment of the viral respiratory disease that has strained health facilities and disrupted livelihoods.

"In the COVID-19 response, nurses are working non-stop to provide quality care, share health information, implement infection prevention and control, serve in intensive care units, and ensure routine services continued to be delivered," Moeti said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

She said that this year's World Health Day which was marked globally on Tuesday presents an opportunity for policymakers and financiers to support interventions that promote the welfare of nurses.

Moeti said that WHO has designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife to help acknowledge their contribution in the fight against emerging pandemics like COVID 19.

"As we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, we must appreciate the valuable service of nurses and midwives in improving health and well-being and saving lives," said Moeti.

She said that African countries should come up with a raft of incentives to improve the nurse-patient ratio in the continent amid rising disease burden in the continent.

Moeti hailed a slight increase in the number of nurses and midwives in the African region that spiked from 1.02 per 1000 people in 2005 to 1.06 in 2018 based on a recent survey.

"This is still far below the number needed to achieve universal health coverage and the sustainable development goals," said Moeti, adding that investments in training are key to bridge a shortfall in nurse-patient ratio across Africa.