By SIMBARASHE SITHOLE
HEALTH minister Obadiah Moyo has challenged nursing graduates at Howard Mission Hospital in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central province, to consider their profession as a calling more than a job, urging them to soldier on despite the harsh working environment.
Speaking at the graduation of 204 nurses and midwives at Howard Mission Hospital on Thursday, Moyo, who has had a nasty fallout with health professionals, particularly doctors, admitted that the health sector was suffering from an acute shortage of human and material resources.
“There is a scarcity of human and material resources within the profession and this is compounded by natural disasters, traffic accidents and poverty among our people. This complicates the role of the nurse as she or he has to perform no matter how difficult the situation is because illness is always there,” Moyo said.
“What do we do under such circumstances? The answer is meet these challenges with Jesus’ name without discrimination, this is my appeal to you today.”
“Nursing is not a job, but a calling; there are trials and tribulations in carrying out your duties, but you need to persevere to get the trust of the people and let me warm you against corruption. It will ruin a lot, not just yourselves, but society,” he added.
Speaking at the same occasion, senior tutor-in-charge Alice Munjeri emphasised on the need for nurses to regularly upgrade their qualifications and embrace new technologies to remain relevant in the fast-changing world.
“It is our wish that internet services be installed at this institution, we are no longer in the age of relying on books hence e-learning will help our students to be in touch with global trends,” Munjeri said.
