African Nursing Conference Aims for Collaborative Care
Public and private sector nurses from across the SADC region are gathered in Boksburg this week for the Fifth African Nursing Conference. This conference provides a critical platform aimed at bridging divides. It also focuses on forging a united path towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the era of National Health Insurance (NHI).
The African Nursing Conference is focused on fostering mutual understanding and collaboration between the two often-siloed sectors of the healthcare system.
According to Dr Tracey de Klerk, chair of the Gauteng Department of Health, the conference addresses a persistent demand from practitioners in both sectors. They want to learn more about each other’s worlds, especially during the African Nursing Conference.
She said that for the past two conferences, there were many requests for the public to know more about private. Likewise, the private sector wanted to know more about public. This is especially relevant with the word NHI and people not understanding that NHI is a fund. Moreover, we are looking at universal health coverage.
De Klerk stressed that achieving the nation’s healthcare goals requires collaboration, not competition. This is underscored at the African Nursing Conference, which seeks to promote a collaborative spirit.
Nurses as the ‘Backbone’ of Universal Healthcare
Speakers at the event have been unequivocal about the central role of nurses in the success of the NHI. The NHI is a funding model designed to facilitate UHC as promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Sonwabo Lindani, acting chief director of the Sedibeng District, put it bluntly: “No nurses, no NHI.”
He highlighted the paradox of having many unemployed nurses while the system is in dire need of their skills. This point was highlighted in the talks at the African Nursing Conference. The core purpose of the NHI, he argued, is to capacitate the system to hire these professionals. It also aims to make healthcare accessible to all, regardless of financial status.
Confronting the Challenges of Staffing and Infrastructure
While the spirit of the conference is one of optimism and collaboration, delegates are not shying away from the significant hurdles that lie ahead.
Speakers acknowledged the pressing challenges facing the health system, including chronic staff shortages and dilapidated infrastructure.
The conference serves as a vital forum for sharing best practices and consolidating ideas. It ensures that as South Africa moves forward with the NHI, its most critical resource – its nurses – are at the heart of the plan. The African Nursing Conference is essential in making this collaboration effective.