Lagos State Governor
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has said that nurses are well positioned to drive effective improvements in the provision of quality care and attaining optimal patient and population outcomes.
Ambode who stated this Tuesday, while declaring open the 2017 Nurses Week celebration at the Conference Hall of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in Ikeja noted that the decisions that every nurse makes multiple times a day in practice can make a vital difference in the efficiency of the health system.
The Governor who was represented by his Special Adviser on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga added that nursing as a career is not just a backbreaking job but a vocation that requires a lifetime of sacrifice, compassion and love.
“I therefore want to appreciate all nurses and midwives for the commitment and compassion with which you have continued to discharge your responsibility to humanity. It is not your hard-earned license that has made you a nurse, it is your compassion and hard work which no award or accolade can qualify”, he said.
Ambode stressed that nurses as professionals in the health sector have an important role to play in ensuring that the required standard for implementation of the Lagos State health services delivery is upheld to facilitate the achievement of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
The Governor while assuring nurses of his administration’s commitment to the provision of enabling environment for quality service delivery and their welfare, stated that the state government would reward excellent performance to encourage greater commitment and dedication.
“I congratulate you on this year’s celebration and urge you all to continue the remarkable job you have been doing”, he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman NANNM, Lagos State Council, Mr. Olurotimi Awojide thanked the Governor for being passionate about the welfare of workers, especially nurses, while also acknowledging that the approval of internship programme, unified scheme of services as well as lateral conversion for nurses had received the support of the State Government.
“The Lagos State government also approved the mass employment of nurses which was last done in 2003 while construction of a befitting student nurse hostel at the Lagos State School of Nursing, Igando is equally well appreciated,” he noted.
Awojide appealed to the State government for urgent passage of the bill seeking to establish the Lagos State College of Nursing; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health and other connected matter. He stated also that NANNM had formally requested for the implementation of Public Service Rule 150134 regarding the payment of uniform allowance for nurses and appealed to the state government to implement the rule across all tiers without delay.