11 May 2018 | Health.
Message from President Faure
on the occasion of Nurses Day, 12 May 2018
“Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health is a Human Right”
Today, we commemorate International Nurses Day and celebrate the essential contribution that nurses make to our society.
Article 29 of our Constitution elevates the Right to Health as a fundamental human right of a Seychellois citizen. Nurses are at the centre of that Right. They are the foundation of the health care system and help guarantee access to affordable, high quality care for all citizens. Nurses are also essential to the Government’s effort to sustain universal health coverage and ensure that Seychelles meets the targets of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3, in relation to the promotion of health and well-being.
The increase of non-communicable diseases in Seychelles, such as diabetes and cancer, and the rising life expectancy of our citizens, mean that nurses remain with the patients in their care longer than ever before. We stand in solidarity with our nurses and recognise their outstanding determination and sense of purpose despite the challenges of their profession.
Given the growing demands of our healthcare industry, the need for nurses is more critical than ever. The National Institute of Health and Social Studies has recently embarked on a bold new strategy to attract more Seychellois to the nursing courses on offer. Government will also soon start the construction of a new school for health and social studies, further elevating the quality of local health education and training.
We continue to invest in furthering the education of experienced nurses by offering both first and second level degrees at top institutions around the world. The University of Sydney in Australia and the Chamberlain College of Nursing in the United States will soon have trained more than forty of our nurses. Nursing success is also being recorded in new areas, including the publication of academic papers in international scientific journals by our local nurses. Government will continue to support and recognise the hard work of those in the nursing profession.
Last year, Government listened to the call of nurses for improvements to their working conditions and scheme of service. We remain committed to working with nurses to find solutions and ensure they are adequately rewarded and recognised for their hard work.
I congratulate every nurse in Seychelles today, and thank you for your invaluable contributions. You are the bedrock of our health system, and we stand by you in your efforts to improve health and well-being in Seychelles. I wish all nurses of Seychelles an uplifting day and hope to see more of our citizens join this noble profession.
