Nurses and Midwives to Promote Ethics and Honour of Profession

• Posted by Modou S. Joof on April 5, 2010 at 9:35pm
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Banjul, The Gambia (TNBES) The Secretary General of The Gambia Nurses and Midwives Association (GANMA) has disclosed that the executive body of GANMA has came up with a number of issues to promote and support the status, ethics and honour of their profession.

Mr. Sahiou Sanneh (Gibsa) was speaking to The Voice Newspaper in an interview at his residence in Fajikunda on Sunday 28^th March, 2010.

According to Mr. Saihou Sanneh, the Association aimed at advancing the professional status and standards of nurses and midwives; to positively influence health and social polices in enhancing the standard of nursing and midwifery; to promote the socio-economic welfare of nurses and midwives and encourage their rights to
negotiate to improve conditions at work.

Mr. Sanneh added that they are also aiming at advancing the knowledge and skills of nurses and midwives on all issues relating to sexual and reproductive health; to promote research, publication, dissemination of information in order to improve the health status of individuals, families and communities.

In this new turn and a seemingly radical approach, The Gambia Association of Nurses and Midwives are also working towards maintaining full membership of International Council of Nurses (ICN), International Council of Midwives (ICM), Commonwealth Nurses Federation (CNF), to gain professional recognition internationally and to benefit from their ideals, resources and activities, it’s Secretary General said.

However, it is worthy to note that such initiative demands more will power and resources, but as Mr. Sanneh explains, the executive have set up special sub-committees which constitute experienced nurses and midwives to facilitate the progress of attaining their much desired goals.

Such committees, according to him are the Advisory and Counseling Committee, Professional Service Committee, Social Service Committee, Health Promotion Committee among others.

The Gambia Association of Nurses and Midwives was founded in February 2004 after the then Gambia Nurse Association (GNA) established in 1968 and the Gambia Midwives Association (GMA) established in
1990 decided to form a single body.

According to Mr. Sanneh, the merger was effected as both associations took into account that over 85 percent of Gambian Nurses are also midwives. The move was also geared towards establishing a more vibrant, proactive and viable national association.

"Considering the large numbers of enrolled of nurses and midwives, it was deemed necessary to include the established Association of these second level nurses into the merger, notwithstanding the fact that these associations were dormant for nearly a decade," Sanneh said.

He further explained that an interim committee was set up to process the merger through consultations with various executives of the different associations and to call a general nurses body meeting to elect the first National Executive which was conducted on the 6^th February, 2010 at the school of Nursing and Midwifery in Banjul.

"During this meeting, a cross section of all the different Nursing Cadres were represented before a new executive was elected," he added.

The Association, which is represented within the six health regions of the country by regional committees headed by Regional Public Health Nurses, has taken stock of the fact that the smooth running of the association requires a strong financial standing. They opted that gaining a strong financial background should start with the thorough registration of members at D100 and monthly subscription of D25, followed by fundraisings. Registrations cut across all trained nurses (Registered Nurses, State Enrolled Nurses, and Community Health Nurses etc).

The new executive which was elected in February includes; Mr. Momodou Musa Barrow as President, Mr. Juma Jallow as Vice President, Mr. Saihou Sanneh as Secretary General, Mr. Yadi Nget as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Sarja Kanyi as Treasurer, Mr. Samba Bah as Assistant Treasurer, Mrs. Fatou Camara as Social Secretary, Mr. Bakary Sanneh as Assistant Social Secretary, Mr. Jammeh Sillah as Auditor, Mr. Baboucarr Cham as Public Relation Officer and Mr. Alkali Jabby as National Mobiliser. VOL:2 ISSN:148