CAIRO, Nov 3 (KUNA) -- The Arab League stressed on Sunday the importance of strengthening the role of nursing and midwifery to reduce the risk of health workers leaving the sector.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector at the Arab League Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh said that the Council of Arab Health Ministers adopted November 3 of each year to celebrate (Arab Nursing and Midwifery Day) through a resolution issued in 2021, with a unified slogan.
She underlined the importance of Arab countries celebrating this day, expressing gratitude and appreciation for the great efforts made by the nursing and midwifery teams and their vital role in improving health care services.
The Council of Arab Health Ministers, at its 60th session last May, approved the award list for (the best distinguished work in the nursing and midwifery professions in Arab countries) in appreciation of their great work, she noted.
Abu Ghazaleh added that the First Arab Conference on the Role of Arab Expatriate Health Professionals in Supporting Health Systems in Arab Countries, held last October, also highlighted the increase in nursing and midwifery migration in the Arab region.
She also stressed the importance of working to draw attention to this phenomenon and working to develop a "comprehensive vision" through which Arab countries can limit it by motivating working Arab competencies to develop their performance and boost health systems.
Abu Ghazaleh explained that the League's General Secretariat prepared an indicative Arab strategy to advance the nursing and midwifery professions in cooperation with the member ministries of health and in partnership with the UN Population Fund for Arab States and WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, and was approved by the Council of Arab Health Ministers at their meeting held in Geneva on May 22, 2022.
She indicated that the strategy provides a set of priorities, directions and related procedures that are considered a road map for countries to guide them in developing their national executive plans to advance the nursing and midwifery professions.
Abu Ghazaleh emphasized the keenness of the General Secretariat to support member states in improving their health services by organizing workshops to follow up on the implementation of this strategy, in cooperation and coordination with the UN Population Fund for the Arab States and WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. (end) mfm.shm.seo