|
Story - Saba Government Information Services
The Bottom, Saba: May 11, 2005
Commissioner with responsibilities for
Public Health Ms. Lisa Hassell in a press release issued in observance of
International Nurses Day had the following to say.
I would like to acknowledge on behalf of the people of Saba, the Nurses of
Saba and the nurses of the region and the world on International Nurses Day
2005.
The important role nurses play in the delivery of health care cannot and
should not be overestimated, especially on a small island like ours with so
many limitations.
The theme for 2005 is "Nurses for patients safety: Targeting counterfeit
Substandard Medicines".
We are all concerned for the patient's safety and counterfeit medicines are
becoming a serious threat to the patient's safety. Counterfeit medicines
take up more than 10% of the global medicines available in the market and
are found in both developed and undeveloped countries. The World Health
Organization estimates that up to 25% of the medicines used in developing
countries are counterfeit or substandard.
Nurses are on the frontlines of health, particularly in primary healthcare
settings. I hereby appeal to our nurses to monitor side affects and to
remain vigilant for signs of counterfeit such as labeling and packaging.
Nurses also have a key role in educating the public about the dangers of
buying medicines through the internet or through unknown sources.
As nurses it is your duty to reassure the patients trust in our healthcare
systems. I also call on our nurses here at home to start having themselves
organized in a structured manner in which they can be better organized to
accept the many challenges that the world have to offer. We should not only
have to wait until nurses day to be recognized. The community at large must
feel at ease at all time with the nurses practice. On this International
Nurses Day I also call on our young people to also consider the position of
becoming a nurse and I would also like to make a special appeal to some of
our male students to also consider becoming a male nurse as we too must meet
all of the challenges that are out there.
On behalf of myself and my family I extend congratulations to all nurses on
International Nurses Day and may you reflect on the work that is there set
out for you Commissioner Hassell stated. I also wish to express my sincere
congratulations to all of our retired nurses they to has made their
contribution to society.
 Back to community news page.
|
