​In a moving tribute to commemorate International Nurses Day, Health and Social Development MMC, Cllr Eunice Mgcina describes the City’s Covid-19 frontliners as the backbone of municipal efforts to provide quality primary healthcare.

MMC Mgcina commends nurses across the City’s 79 clinics and in other health facilities for being courageous and committed to their work since the global outbreak of Covid-19, which is ravaging the world.

“Nurses are the backbone of our efforts to provide primary healthcare for our residents and their importance should be elevated at every opportunity we get,” she says.

The MMC has also paid homage to all City Nurses who succumbed to the Coronavirus in the last 14 months.

“I want to assure all Nurses that we care for them and their wellbeing and applaud all those Nurses and other healthcare workers who have since been vaccinated. I further urge all those who are still to vaccinate to do so sooner rather than later,” she says.

Cllr Mgcina notes that the municipality has to date trained close to 700 Nurses as Vaccinators for the City’s ongoing inoculation drive. They will be assisted by a further 400 Professional Nurses, Enrolled Nurses and Enrolled Nursing Assistants across the City’s seven regions.

“The tireless efforts of Nurses in maintaining our public health systems are to be applauded and my good wishes go out to all our Nurses on this day,” says Cllr Mgcina.

The World Health Organisation (W.H.O) says the Covid-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the vital role Nurses play.

“Without Nurses and other health workers, we will not win the battle against outbreaks, we will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals or universal health coverage,” says Sonali Reddy, spokesperson for W.H.O.

Observed annually on 12 May, the International Day of the Nurse is designed to highlight and acknowledge the contributions’ Nurses make daily in the lives of their patients and the healthcare system. The occasion marks the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing under the theme: ‘Nurses: A Voice to Lead’ and the sub-theme: ‘A Vision for Future Healthcare’.