Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo says Zambia, through the Nurses and Midwives Act, has provided for the Nurses and Midwifery Council the mandate to approve Nursing and Midwifery education and training programmes for both public and private training institutions to increase training opportunities.
The Minister made her remarks at the ongoing 73rd Session of the World Health Organization for Africa during the segment on the Framework for Implementing the Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery, 2021–2025 in the World Health Organization (WHO) African region.
Ms Masebo said the country has continued to develop additional new curricula to allow for more specialized care, including the provision for pre-service students to train in a number of specialized areas such as Midwifery, Paediatrics and Public Health Nursing as a means of responding to population needs for specialized nursing and midwifery care.
She highligted the existence of a Department of Nursing & Midwifery Services since 2017 at the Ministry of Health, adding that the Ministry was currently working with various partners to improve leadership skills of nurses and midwives through training.
“The Nursing and Midwifery Council has just finalized the development of a scope of practice that is aimed at enhancing research activities among the nurses and midwives in the country,” she said.
Ms Masebo said the Government of Zambia was the main employer of murses and midwives in the country and further acknowledged the role of the private sector which has also developed significantly.
“In 2022 alone, the Government, in an unprecedented employment exercise of healthcare workers countrywide, employed over 11,000 healthcare workers, out of which over 40 percent were nurses and midwives. In the same year, over 3,000 nurses and midwives were promoted, a move that is a great motivation for our staff. A similar exercise is also planned for this year, 2023,” she said.
Ms. Masebo noted that despite the successes recorded, a number of challenges continued to exist such as shortages of nurses and midwives due to the continued brain drain as highlighted in the report, coupled with the country’s limited fiscal space which limited the numbers that could be employed at any given time.
“We therefore welcome continued engagements and enhanced collaborations with the WHO Secretariat and other stakeholders to partner with us in our continued strive to improve the status of nursing and midwifery in our country.” Hon. Masebo said.
This is contained in a statement issued by Julia Malunga First Secretary Press High Commission of the Republic of Zambia Gaborone.
