By CHILA NAMAIKO –
SOUTHERN Province medical officer Jelita Chinyonga has challenged the General Nursing Council (GNC) to get rid of nurses who stole Government drugs.
Dr Chinyonga has also urged Government to punish errant health workers.
She said some unscrupulous health workers were tarnishing the image of the nursing profession by stealing drugs and medical supplies.
“The nursing career has been infiltrated by some bad seeds who have brought the image of these noble white uniformed soldiers into disrepute. I implore the GNC to strictly scrutinise them to clean up the system and get
rid of such people” she said.
She was speaking in Choma on Tuesday in a speech read for her by provincial communicable diseases control specialist Noah Chilembo at this year’s commemoration of International Nurses Day held under the
theme ‘Nurses: A force for change care effective, cost effective’.
Dr Chinyonga said nursing was a calling, adding that nurses were the heart-beat of health care in the country.
Provincial Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu urged nurses to remain professional and committed in delivering cost-effective health services.
“As Government, we shall not relent until our targets and aspirations for quality and affordable health care to our citizens is fulfilled,” he said.
He said Government had continued with works on 30 district hospitals across the country which was part of the larger programme to construct 650 health posts by the end of 2016.
He called for a positive mindset and good attitude among health workers in the pursuit of excellence to accelerate the country’s attainment of more quality health services.
Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation provincial chairperson Joyce Milimo urged Government to recruit more nurses, saying current shortage had made them work long hours.