Retired nurses to be recalled

RETIRED nurses will be allowed to continue working on contract basis because of the shortage of professional staff in the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

This was announced by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, when he opened the renovated Okaku Clinic near Ondangwa in the Oshana Region yesterday. “My Ministry is aware of the shortage of professional staff, particularly nurses, doctors and pharmacists, and because the newly employed young nurses do not have enough experience to cope alone with the health services in hospitals, health centres and clinics, I have decided to go to the Public Service Commission, the Office of the Prime Minister and even to the Office of the President, asking them to assist me to allow retired nurses and those about to retire to be recalled and allow them to continue working on a contract basis,” Kamwi said.He said his proposal had been accepted and retired nurses and those about to retire, who feel that they are strong enough to continue working, could now do so.Kamwi said these former nurses could share their wealth of experience with junior nurses and help to enforce discipline at the workplace.”This is a temporary measure while our student nurses are qualifying, and not a measure to replace newly qualified young nurses,” he said.The Ministry has also imported nurses from Kenya to come and work in Namibia on two-year contracts.Minister Kamwi this week also opened a clinic at Omboloka village in the remote eastern part of the Ohangwena Region.”My Ministry is aware of the shortage of professional staff, particularly nurses, doctors and pharmacists, and because the newly employed young nurses do not have enough experience to cope alone with the health services in hospitals, health centres and clinics, I have decided to go to the Public Service Commission, the Office of the Prime Minister and even to the Office of the President, asking them to assist me to allow retired nurses and those about to retire to be recalled and allow them to continue working on a contract basis,” Kamwi said.He said his proposal had been accepted and retired nurses and those about to retire, who feel that they are strong enough to continue working, could now do so.Kamwi said these former nurses could share their wealth of experience with junior nurses and help to enforce discipline at the workplace.”This is a temporary measure while our student nurses are qualifying, and not a measure to replace newly qualified young nurses,” he said.The Ministry has also imported nurses from Kenya to come and work in Namibia on two-year contracts.Minister Kamwi this week also opened a clinic at Omboloka village in the remote eastern part of the Ohangwena Region.