International Nurses Day: “Our Nurses, Our Future"

As we celebrate International Nurses Day on 12 May, it is also a day to reflect on the many challenges nurses are facing in many countries, including South Africa where overwhelmed health systems, insufficient remuneration and difficult working environments are taking their toll on the mental and physical health of these indispensable individuals.


This year’s theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future”, is not only a recognition of the critical role they play in caring for the sick and infirm but also a call on governments and employers to take better care of the nursing workforce as part of efforts to address the global health challenges and improve global health for all. 

According to the President of the International Council of Nurses, Dr Pamela Cipriano, the lessons learnt from the Covid 19 pandemic should be translated into actions for the future that ensure nurses are protected, respected and valued. 

The Our Nurses. Our Future. campaign shines a light on nurses and on a brighter future, moving nurses from invisible to invaluable in the eyes of policymakers, the public, and all those who make decisions affecting the delivery and financing of healthcare.

As well as learning lessons to support nurses, the campaign will also look at how health systems should be strengthened to address growing global health demands. It will capture key actions that are essential to address both the profession and health systems and which are mutually beneficial and reinforcing.

“Together our future depends on every nurse, every voice, to not only be on the frontlines of care but also be on the frontlines of change,” Dr Cipriano noted in a statement to commemorate International Nurses Day.

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