A former lawmaker, Honourable Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, has urged nurses in the country to look beyond the ‘japa’ syndrome currently plaguing the nation’s healthcare sector and stay to contribute their quota to the development of the country.
Fijabi, who represented the Ibadan Northwest/Southwest federal constituency in the House of Representatives, stated this on Tuesday at the 2024 Nurses Week of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He encouraged both nurses and midwives to have a change of heart in relocating abroad in search of greener pastures, adding that greener pastures could be found everywhere, including in Nigeria.
Fijabi also charged the Federal Government to address nurses’ welfare so as to encourage them to stay in the country.
He said: “Since 2021, the World Bank has shown us that about 40,000 to 50,000 nurses have left Nigeria. I understand their pains, but leaving the country totally is not the solution.
“Now, if you all decide to leave Nigeria, en-mass, who is going to do the work?
“This is the reason I am appealing to the Federal Government to focus on the welfare of health practitioners.”
In her remarks, NANNM Chairperson, UCH chapter, Comrade Olufunmilola Faminu, said nursing as a profession attracts people with a passion to care for patients with the aim of nurturing them back to health or peaceful death.
She noted that nursing has been around for a long time, however, in different forms, saying the profession has climbed a notch higher.
Speaking on the theme “Our Nurses, Our Future, The Economic Power of Care,” Faminu emphasises the roles nurses play in healthcare and economic systems.
“It highlights that investing in nursing leads to improved patient outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and enhanced community well-being.
“This initiative aims to reshape perceptions of nursing as essential not only for health but also for economic growth and social equity. Recognising and supporting nurses is crucial for fostering healthier societies and achieving sustainable development goals leading to enhanced productivity.
“Therefore, my charge today is to invest in nurses to strengthen the productivity of the citizens.”
The keynote speaker, Professor Deborah Esan from the Faculty of Nursing Sciences, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, said nursing is the cornerstone of health care systems worldwide, but the economic value that it adds to health care and societies at large remains unacknowledged.
She said investment in nursing is often viewed as a drain on resources rather than a catalyst for economic stability and growth.
According to her, nurses account for nearly 59% of the global health workforce (WHO, 2022) and thus form the backbone of healthcare systems, saying despite being the backbone of healthcare, nursing often faces societal undervaluation and financial constraints.
She said for nursing to thrive, there is a need to ensure safe working conditions, proper compensation, and career development opportunities. Nothing in this narrative must, however, change.
“Policymakers, health care administrators, and even the general public are often unaware or misinformed about the return on investment that adequate funding in nursing can provide.
“Governments and healthcare organisations must prioritise ethical recruitment and retention strategies, offering nurses the support they need to excel in their roles.”
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