Nurses and Midwives – the Heart of

Nurses and midwives are the backbone of the health care system. They play a crucial role in health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment. In fact, we Healthcare in can’t achieve universal health coverage or reach Sustainable Development Goal 3 without nurses. Participating in UTAP’s trainings, workshops, and person. Besides being inspired, I can truly say my improvement in my patients and when giving pregnancies, hopefully they can avoid falling else’s wellbeing, especially their health, has These are just some of the reasons why the mentorship has increased his knowledge and skills love, passion, and heart for the next person was emotional support by holding the hands of pregnant and change their behaviors. been one of the biggest motivators to pursue World Health Organization has declared in managing ART. He says: the primary reason I decided to become a nurse. family members who have just experienced I believe through nursing you can impact this career with everything inside of me. I would like to advise young people, especially 2020 the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, I love my job as an ART nurse because I like tragedy. Actually, it gives me an inner peace somebody’s life and have good results. I’ve helped and taken care of very many helping people and saving lives. I chose to work in young men, to consider nursing as a profession, in honor of the 200th birthday of Florence that I was able to help somebody. I would like to thank PEPFAR and USAID patients, and the most rewarding part HIV because the illness is still highly discriminated especially if you have a heart for people, because Nightingales. As we gear up to celebrate Yes, we have challenges—like shortages for the HIV trainings provided by IntraHealth has always been being there for patients against and stigmatized. we have such a shortage of male nurses and of equipment, resources, and nurses which through UTAP’s support. Because of UTAP, I emotionally, because I firmly believe that the birthday of perhaps the world’s most As difficult as it can get being an ART nurse, I in general a shortage of nurses in our country. result in long working hours—but we work can proudly say that I’m an ART nurse. I now one’s emotions can determine physical famous nurse next year, we’re already like dealing with patients who don’t adhere to For the sake of our health care system and our with enthusiasm to make the most of what have this passion for HIV and want to remain health and recovery time. celebrating and appreciating the nurses their medication—it is very rewarding at times. I nation, I would really like to encourage young we have because the Health Minister urged in this field. Being a nurse has been incredibly rewarding. Ndamononghenda Kamundilo, Marvelous Mariwa, Registered Nurse and and midwives of Namibia. They are the remember in 2017, when we as a district celebrated people to consider a career in nursing. Our nation us a to do more with the little we have, and Today, when one of my patients defaults However, it also comes with numerous Registered Nurse and Midwife, St. Midwife, District Hospital, Kavango frontline health care champions who show our first milestone in preventing HIV transmission needs us! we do that with a smile. from treatment, I do everything, I can to trace challenges, and one of those challenges has Mary’s Health Center, Odibo, Ohangwena East up every day, acting as agents of change at from mothers to their children with the former U.S. I would like to thank and encourage my fellow My fellow nurses let’s honour the logo of the them and investigate why they don’t take been a lack of resources. As a nurse, you’re Region their health facilities. Ambassador to Namibia, Thomas F. Daughton. It nursing colleagues to work hard, to stay Ministry of Health, which says, “Your health, their medicine and find a way to get them expected to provide quality health care, Marvelous Mariwa was inspired by her mother to IntraHealth International, with financial was a joyous day and reminded me why I chose to committed, and to always give their all, because our priority”—let’s make our patients’ health back on treatment. I believe I can improve however that cannot be optimally achieved Ndamomogheda Kamundilo loves being a become a nurse. Helping patients motivates her to support from the President’s Emergency become a nurse. it is important to always provide quality care and a top priority! more lives by training more nurses about the if the resources aren’t available. We often midwife, though she says they do experience do her job. She says: Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through I have learned a lot about clinical HIV management to treat our patients with the necessary respect. disease and educating patients about HIV, must improvise, because at the end of the challenges, such as drunk patients who I became a nurse because of my mother, who was the United States Agency for International and the social aspects of clients. I believe every so that they can see that HIV is not a death day, someone’s life is in your hands, and sometimes provoke them by swearing at also a nurse. But as time went on, I got motivated nurse was drawn to nursing because of a desire sentence, but merely a chronic disease. you must do everything possible to put their them. She says: Development (USAID), implements the by the zeal to assist sick people. to care, to serve, or to help. Let’s continue serving health first. I love being a midwife because it’s a really USAID HIV Clinical Services Technical What I like most about being a nurse is that I’m and healing our communities. We have successfully integrated TB care into intimate time for a family, and you get to Assistance Program (UTAP), which able to save lives! health services at Kuvukiland (a community share in their joy. Seeing someone smile works with the government of Namibia Although we are faced with challenges daily— clinic based in an informal settlement) because of my help is the greatest pleasure! to strengthen integrated HIV care and like understaffing and being verbally abused or and this has been because of the human I remember last year, when a colleague treatment services and close the gaps harassed by patients—it’s the little things, like the resources, training, and technical support and I helped a mother successfully deliver in the care continuum. IntraHealth appreciation from patients and their families, that we’ve received as a district from UTAP twins. It was a difficult delivery, where one motivates you to keep on making a difference in also provides training, mentoring, and through IntraHealth International. The of the baby’s’ shoulders got stuck behind the people’s lives. technical support to enable health workers support provided by UTAP has brought about mother’s pelvic bone, but we managed to I would like to encourage young people to become to deliver high-quality, comprehensive a fast change, and to them it may be a drop save both babies and the mother at the end nurses, since we need more nurses, but also to health services. in the ocean, but to us it has brought about of the day. That made my heart very happy. remind them that nursing is not about money— In preparation for 2020, the “Year of the immense change, and for that we will always We are trained to care for strangers. nursing is a passion and should come from your Nurse and the Midwife”, IntraHealth’s Valery Israel Hailoula, Registered Nurse, be thankful. However, there are times when our character heart. Mwashekele, Senior Communications Oshikuku District Hospital, Omusati is tested, and we feel as though every pinch Officer, and Cherizaan Willemse, Programs Region of inspiration to do our job well has left us. Officer, interviewed nurses and midwives Frans Tweufilwa, Enrolled Nurse, Omuthiya This is when inspiration like this interview from each of the eight UTAP-supported District Hospital, Israel Hailoula is the infection, prevention Anastasia Ndazapo, Registered Nurse comes into the picture to lift our spirit and districts: Onandjokwe, Oshikuku, Engela & control focal point at Oshikuku district at Tsumeb District Hospital, Oshikoto remind us why we chose this profession—to Frans Tweufilwa, an ART nurse, likes preventing (Odibo), Andara, , Omuthiya, Alina Nepela, Senior Registered Nurse, hospital. He says: Region save lives. Thank you for appreciating us. Onandjokwe District, Oshikoto Region people from getting sick and inspiring others. He Tsumeb, and . Here are their As a young boy visiting hospitals, I saw My colleague nurses—stay motivated says: stories: how beautiful the nurses looked in their Anastasia Ndazapo, an ART nurse, loves and dedicated. We can do this. Let’s keep Alina Nepela, the primary health care supervisor I like being a nurse because of the different white uniforms and the way they cared and working with people and encourages Namibia healthy. of Onandjokwe district, felt called to nursing and fields of nursing. I mostly enjoy primary health provided services to their patients. That patients to take responsibility for their health. loves to help and educate her community about care because you work with the prevention of touched my heart and inspired me to become She says: health issues. Nepela is one of the nurses who diseases. I don’t like to see people sick, I like to one of them. I became a nurse because I like working with participated in trainings provided by IntraHealth’s prevent people from becoming sick by educating What I love about my job as a nurse is when people who are sick, I like to help people, UTAP project. She says the integrated approach them with health information and immunizing I see a patient who was in poor health come and I like to make an impact on their lives. to patient management helps her team save more them. back to us strengthened and recuperated. The best part of being a nurse is the lives and she thanks her government for partnering At the ART clinic where I’m currently based, we You feel so satisfied in your work, in what satisfaction I get when I see a life that could Liisa Ndilimondwi, Registered Nurse, with international organizations that provide aid to educate people about HIV and AIDS and provide you’ve managed to achieve. Giving patients have been lost and has been saved. Oshikuku District Hospital, Omusati Emma Ndango, Registered Nurse, Nyangana make the work of nurses easier. She says: them with care and treatment. their confidence back, putting a smile on Most of our patients living with HIV have a Region District Hospital, Kavango East I love nursing because it keeps on evolving. To me, nursing is about saving lives. It is like their faces and seeing them happy again is problem accepting their status, resulting One of the challenges we faced as a team and being in the army where you save lives—that’s so rewarding. into adherence problems, despite receiving For Sister Liisa Ndilimondwi, an ART nurse, Emma Ndango says nursing is not about medicine managed to solve is to ensure that the nurses why I regard nurses as soldiers. To my fellow I believe that improving the quality of health intensive adherence counselling. I remember choosing a career wasn’t going to be a run- but about compassion and rendering love to recruited through UTAP and those employed by nurses all over the world, let’s continue rendering care will save more lives. I also want to this one client I helped—he was misusing of-the-mill decision—she wanted to have the patients, adding that love does not need a the government realize that we are one team and quality health care services to our patients! encourage men to consider becoming nurses alcohol and stopped taking his medication. impact and bring about positive change in prescription. What she loves about her job is should work as one. During the implementation as we need more male nurses for our male Consequently, his viral load went up. I took the lives of others. She says: helping pregnant women deliver safe and healthy of the integrated patient care management patients. Forget about the stigma that nursing it upon myself to sit him down and explain to I looked at various professions, but the one Martin Katata, Registered Nurse at Andara babies. She says: approach, it was difficult for the UTAP team to has traditionally been considered a feminine him the dangers of misusing alcohol while on that stood out from the rest was indeed Martha Nakatana, Enrolled Nurse, District Hospital, Kavango East I enjoy being a midwife. I remember the first time understand that, since they are employed for HIV role. The job opportunities as a nurse are treatment. It took some convincing to get him nursing. Nursing is that one profession that Odibo’s St. Mary’s Health Center, I witnessed a delivery—seeing the mother holding services. Integration is a one-stop shop where you Martin Katata was inspired to become a nurse endless, and you end up going home every into an adherence counselling session every brings about change and impact in the lives her new baby after having been in labour for 19 are expected to deal with other health issues as after witnessing nurses help patients at the clinic day knowing that you did something very month. Now as we speak, the patient is doing of others, which for me is the most rewarding hours, seeing tears of joy coursing down her well. But after explaining to them the benefits of he visited with his mother. He says: positive for someone else. well, and his viral load is suppressed. This is thing ever. Martha Nakatana became an ART nurse to face and her saying, “I have waited for you for integration and the need for it, the team understood I love being a nurse because I enjoy working For me, nurses are agents of change. Let’s so rewarding. We had a patient that was failing ART save lives and to see clients satisfied with her so long”—there is just nothing that could ever and today we are working as one and implementing with people in the community, helping them and take responsibility and be accountable. Let’s Let’s be competent and educate our patients treatment, which resulted to them failing first- services. She says: compare to that. integration. advising them on health issues. not provide services based on gender, race, to understand what is expected from them; to and second-line treatment. I had to step in The most satisfying thing about this profession Helping to bring a new life into the world as a I would like to thank PEPFAR and USAID I remember on one occasion, while working at political affiliation, or economic status—let’s feel free to come to the health facility to seek to intensify adherence and to really ensure is making a difference in someone’s life. midwife is the best job on Earth. Sharing that joy through IntraHealth for its financial and technical the outpatient department, I received a patient have empathy and sympathy for all. health services. that the patient understood the seriousness I like giving hope to the hopeless. Seeing and miracle of life with mothers every day makes assistance. Through UTAP, we received vehicles who looked very sick and in pain. After screening of the matter. Today, I can proudly say that someone go from despair to hopeful after this profession so unique and beautiful. and a driver We are now able to take quality her health passport, I saw that she omitted some the patient has a suppressed viral load and learning they are HIV-positive because of my I would like to take this opportunity to remind my integrated health services to our patients through of her medication for almost a year. I immediately is doing very well and, until today, comes to advice and care is fulfilling. beloved nurses all over the world: your passion outreach in hard to reach areas. realized that she not only needed health care but thank us for the positive impact we’ve had I would like people living with HIV to for your patients’ health is appreciated every day. Thalita Hipondoka, Registered Nurse, psychosocial support as well. I provided her with on their life. That to me is the most gratifying understand that there is life and love after Thank you for all you do, much love! Omuthiya District Hospital, Oshikoto Region nursing care but also made time to counsel her feeling, knowing that I could contribute being diagnosed with HIV. The most important about her health, explained to her the importance toward the wellbeing of another person. things are to love yourself, take your medicine, Thalita Hipondoka is a midwife and theater nurse of taking her medication, and referred her to the I would also like to acknowledge and thank and live a healthy lifestyle. in charge of infection, prevention & control and doctor. She was admitted to the hospital that day PEPFAR and USAID for the HIV trainings It is not how much we do—it is how much love a quality-improvement coordinator at Omuthiya’s and when I visited her two days later, I couldn’t provided by IntraHealth International through we put into the doing that matters. Continue to maternity ward. She loves to interact with her believe it was the same person—she looked UTAP’s support. Because of UTAP, I can spread love and care! patients and is still at their bedside after 24 years. refreshed. While I feel what I did for her was proudly say that I’m a trained, skilled, and She says: limited, I made sure that she was relieved from well-equipped ART nurse, able to deliver Nursing is surely not for everyone. It I love being a nurse for many reasons—mostly her pain. standard quality health services for all. takes a very strong, intelligent, and because it has brought me into the lives of people For me, the biggest challenges and issues facing compassionate person to care for the whom I wouldn’t have met if I weren’t a nurse. nurses today are workplace safety and nursing Sylvia Haoses, Registered Nurse, sick with such passion and dedication. Some of the most interesting people I have ever staff shortages. This increases the stress on Emminah Mapurisa, Registered Nurse Tsumeb District Hospital, Oshikoto met came into my life because I’m a nurse. We often take nurses for granted as nurses, decreases quality of patient care, and Grootfontein Poly Clinic, I like nursing because it’s a profession that never “just” the people assisting doctors in increases the likelihood of medical errors. Region Andreas Ntinda, Enrolled Nurse, Onandjokwe stops giving, a profession of diversity. You can still their work. But nursing is an incredibly Lastly, I would like to invite young boys to join the Sylvia Haoses, the district TB Coordinator Without nurses and District Hospital, Oshikoto Region be a nurse and at the same time be a researcher difficult and exhausting job, one filled nursing profession. It is an interesting profession Emminih Mapurisa loves being an ART at Tsumeb district hospital says that while or nursing educator. What I never wanted to lose midwives, Namibia with quiet heroes, with the toughest and not only for women, as it was known in the nurse because she can have an impact on physical care is the main component of a Andreas Ntinda was inspired by the health workers is the connection with my people, my patients; and most dedicated people to the past. We have male patients who want to be teenagers and change their lives. And she nurse’s job, providing emotional support is No-more Jongwe, Registered Nurse, Nyangana who used to visit his village to treat people. He and that’s why, after 24 years, I’m still in the can’t achieve universal profession. Let’s appreciate them more seen by male nurses, hence the need for male loves that nurses can specialize in different just as important. She says: District Hospital, Kavango East says: operational field with my beautiful uniform. When and show them the necessary respect! nurses. fields. She says: I’ve always been passionate about helping health coverage or reach For as long as I can remember, I have always I enter the hospital, I feel patients value me, I feel Teenage pregnancy rates in Namibia are and serving not just my community but anyone A special thanks to all the nurses for No-more Jongwe works at the Nyangana liked helping people, and nursing is one of those I belong here, I feel I belong at the bedside of high. But if you educate teenagers about I would meet that needed any form of help. their valuable contributions. Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clinic as an ART nurse. sustainable development professions that is all about helping the next patients. I feel so good inside when I see family planning and the dangers of teenage The fact that I could contribute to someone goal three. By: Valery Mwashekele, Senior Communications Officer, and Cherizaan Willemse, Programs Officer

Ministry of Health and Social Services