The Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Bashir Bello, has tasked nurses and midwives on good professional conduct and sustain harmonious relationship with other healthcare professionals.
Bello gave the charge at the 2019 Nurses Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Oyo State Council, on Monday, in Ibadan.
The commissioner, who was represented at the event by Mr Taiwo Ajiboye, Director, Oyo State Nursing Services, charged the nurses and midwives to be more alert and proactive in health care delivery to their patients.
He stressed the need for the nurses and midwives to work with other healthcare professionals as a team, adding that it was only by synergy among health workers that the desired goal could be achieved in the health sector.
“As we all know, for there to be any meaningful growth in the state there must be peace and harmony in all spheres of life.
“Peace in the health sector is paramount and every citizen must strive to attain this, wherever we are working.
“The present administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde, is very interested in the health sector and that is why he sent me to be in your midst today, to declare the conference open.
“And as a responsive government, it is our responsibility to promote quality healthcare and give succour to people assessing quality health care.
“While the majority is experiencing the hard reality of the present economic crunch; let me say at this point that the hope of the government is not only to provide curative services but intensify awareness and seek preventive measures.
“I want to emphasise that prevention is paramount in reducing incidence of secondary care,” he said.
Bello further enjoined the association to embrace dialogue, when the need arises other than to be confrontational.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that among activities at the conference was the election of the state executive to direct the affairs of the association for the next four years.
At the end of the election, Dr Samuel Adeyemi emerged unopposed as the chairman of NANNM, Oyo State Chapter, with six other members of the executives.
Adeyemi, while speaking on his vision for the association, solicited the support from the members for the next four years.
“Sincerely, I must say that I have in mind to ensure that the rights of Oyo State nurses are not tampered with at any given time.
“Also, I shall ensure appropriate welfare packages for our nurses; if possible cooperative society and ‘end well’ kind of programmes are put in place.
“End well programmes are activities that retirees can engage in, as soon as they retire and while waiting for their retirement packages.
“These activities will be designed to engage them physically, and psychologically, rather than sitting down at home redundantly and going through psychological phases, “he said.
NAN reports that delegates from all nursing institutions in Oyo state converged on Ibadan for the three-day conference
Special guests at the occasion included: Heads of Nursing services from the Ministry of health, University College Hospital (UCH), LAUTECH, and local government Primary Health Centres.
Other guests were representatives of the NLC, Director of Labour and Productivity, and Oyo State Head of Service.(NAN).
