THE First Lady of Lagos State, Dr (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has appreciated all nurses for their selfless service to residents of the state while encouraging them to continually display integrity and professionalism in discharging their duties as caregivers.
She made this note of appreciation while speaking at the Lagos State Health Service Commission’s 13th Annual Nurses Scientific Conference with the theme: “Nurses: A Voice to Lead, Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health.”
She said: “Nurses are resilient and dynamic. Their efforts are duly recognised by Mr Governor. Sadly, we need to go back to the drawing board to see why there is a high rate of brain drain in the sector. I commend the nursing practitioners and thank all nurses on behalf of the citizens of Lagos State”.
Also speaking at the event, the Special Guest of Honour and former First Lady of Kwara State, who is also the Founder/President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs Toyin Saraki, applauded the Lagos State Health Service Commission for its initiatives in ensuring that Lagos and Nigeria have a pool of highly skilled and motivated health workers who are committed to their jobs.
She also advised Nigerians to treat Nurses and Midwives with high regard, pointing out that they are critical stakeholders in the health sector.
The Permanent Secretary, Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Akinwunmi Ibrahim Mustapha and his counterpart in the Health Service Commission, Dr Benjamin Eniayewun, on their part, urged nurses to carry out their duties in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, just as they maintained that nurses are not to be relegated and must be accorded their rightful place in the health sector.
Meanwhile, the Director of Nursing Services, Health Service Commission, Mrs Adebukola Oluwabusayo Cole, stated some needs of the commission which include the establishment of another College of Nursing at Lagos State University of Technology (LASUTECH), Ikorodu, more incentives for midwives, accommodation for intern nurses, and international training for the nurses among others.
In her paper presentation, Professor Florence Oluyemisi Adeyemo of the Faculty of Nursing Science, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, said that nurses have vital roles to play as advocates of health promotion ranging from direct patient care to case management.
She then added that nurses migrate to industrialised countries for financial, professional, and political reasons, hence their welfare must be given utmost importance to reduce the brain drain.
Other dignitaries in attendance include the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye; Chairman, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Dr (Mrs) Adetoun Onayiga; the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, HRH Oba Kabiru Shotobi; Commissioners I, II and IV in LSHSC, Dr Sholanke, Dr Olukoya and Mrs Kemi Ogunremi, among other personalities.
