President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi applauded on Tuesday as part of International Nurses Day the efforts of Egyptian nurses during the current difficult times.
This year, the day falls on the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Nurses have historically been at the forefront of battles against epidemics and pandemics, a function they still perform today.
The ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic serves as a crucial reminder of the important role nurses play in providing high-quality healthcare.
The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the importance of nurses in providing healthcare and thanked them for their work. The organisation added that this year’s theme for International Nurse Day is “Nursing the world to health”.
The WHO explained that without nurses and other health workers, the battle against outbreaks would not be won. The world would also not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals or universal health coverage.
The WHO also emphasised that nurses account for over half of the world’s healthcare workers, yet there remains an urgent shortage of nurses worldwide. The organisation added that 5.9 million more nurses are still needed, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Data from Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) show that the total number of nurses in Egypt increased in 2018 by 3.5% compared to 2017.
In a statement on Monday, CAPMAS indicated that Egypt’s total number of nursing staff stood at 221,000 in 2018, increasing from 213,600 in 2017.
Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women (NCW), praised the efforts made by medical staff who have an important role in treating coronavirus patients, and risking their lives for the noble goal.
