By Elijah Gichunge
Picture by James Mwirigi

CEC Health Misheck Mutuma, has said that the County Government is out to improve the working environment for the medics in the county.

In recognition to the critical role they play in provision of health care services, the CEC said the department has taken measures to promote the common cadre Nursing Officers, as well as prepared a paper that will guide in promoting long serving staff, as well as employ more nurses.

Additionally, he said the government has rolled out a program that will ensure health facilities are improved and with every Sub county having a model hospital, adequate supply of drugs to ensure the people have accessible, quality and affordable health care services.

However, Mutuma urged nurses to maintain a good relationship with the patients, be good time managers, a key step necessary even before attending to illness. This will help make the department and county at large the best in health care provision.

He said this would be a great honor of Florence Nightingale, a reputable founder of modern nursing, based on proper record keeping, collaborations, advocacies and monitoring of patients, for their well being.

On his part, Chief of Staff Gideon Kimathi, said there cannot be a complete cycle of health care provision in Meru county without keen consideration to the contributions nurses make.

Adding that the government has continued to improve services through the relevant structures to resolve issues affecting nurses, the CoS was keen to note that a remarkable change has been witnessed in the health sector since Governor Kiraitu took oath of office. He asked the nurses to feel free in making their request to the government since Kiraitu's administration operates in an open door policy.

The request for creating a Directorate of Nursing by the Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN) Meru Branch Secretary General, Nesbit Mugendi, Kimathi said the government would consider effecting the request to help in handling their interests.

The County Chief Nursing Officer, George Taitumu assured of the nurses's support to sustainable health through the Universal Health Care and also the Meru Care program, a head of roll out. He requested them to stick to nursing professionalism since malpractices won't be condoned .

Dr. Lucy Gitonga, Head of Nursing Department at Chuka University, emphasized on the need for nursing researchers geared at inventing new ways of improved health care. She celebrated nurses as people who play a key role in health promotion, disease prevention and treatment.

National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, through May 12, to mark the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The celebration for this year's event whose theme is "Voice to lead, Health to all," was launched at Nkubu Catholic Church.