Nurses are the backbone of our health system and have been at the forefront of our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have even lost their lives in service of this country. To these nurses and their families, the Commission would like to extend its heartfelt condolences. Your sacrifices and those of your loved ones have not gone unnoticed.

We therefore cannot over emphasize the critical role played by nurses in our health system. This is against the backdrop of a collapsing public health system marked by severe understaffing, lack of essential medical equipment and dilapidated infrastructure. Even against these challenges nurses in South Africa have remained resilient and have demonstrated remarkable dedication, commitment and passion towards the health of our nation.

The International Council of Nurses has themed this year’s International Nurses’ Day: A Voice to Lead - A vision for future healthcare andcalling for the pandemic to be taken as an opportunity to capitalize on the learning and innovation it has demanded of our healthcare systems. The Commission supports this call and emphasizes the need for us to focus on improving our public health care system. We call upon the government to take up this call as well. The government can also contribute to the efforts of our nurses by plans and efforts to eliminate under-staffing, creating a conducive infrastructure environment wherein the nurses can excel and properly and adequately equipping public health facilities and fighting corruption in the health care environment.

We thank you and salute you!

Ends

Issued by the South African Human Rights Commission
Gushwell Brooks – Communications Co-ordinator Tel: 082 645 8573 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.