Nurses exodus could hurt health system – MoH

Nurses during a petititon to the Minister of Health
Nurses during a petititon to the Minister of Health

Following reports that the Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) has struck a deal that will see Batswana nurses flock to the United Kingdom’s National Health Services (NHS), authorities say they will amongst other things train nurses in efforts to retain them.

Though they say they are not aware of developments at BONU, the ministry is concerned mass departure could hurt the country's health system. “The departure of nurses in huge numbers could definitely affect health service delivery in Botswana. Health is one of the most sought after services in the country, therefore, it is important that all resources necessary for the full function of the health system are in place. The ministry regards health care workers including nurses as a critical resource for the full functioning of the health system.

It is for this reason that the ministry has initiated some changes that could see health care providers, including nurses, seeing an improvement in their conditions of service. The ministry has also started a massive training initiative that will see many nurses getting enrolled for higher training in various fields in the nursing profession,” MoH principal public relations officer Christopher Nyanga said. On the question of unemployed nurses, Nyanga said given the shortage of health care workers in Botswana and across the world, and the recruitment that the ministry makes annually, the number is quite low.

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