Promoting care-givers' health and wellness

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) recently launched the Nursing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Prevention and Wellness Project in the North West Province of South Africa.

The NCD project, generously supported by Pfizer, aims to assist nurses working within the public health sector to focus on their health and wellness and to support those in the community who are at risk of developing or have been diagnosed with NCDs.

Leading by example, nurses will work directly with the communities to promote healthier lifestyles. "We welcome the initiative to pilot this project in the North West Province as we believe that it will go a long way in assisting nurses," says Denosa president and veteran nurse Dorothy Matebeni.

"The burden of disease in our hospitals is increasing, hence the need to urgently strengthen our primary healthcare. Denosa is committed in working together with the Department of Health in rolling out the NCD project to other provinces as well."
"As Denosa is demonstrating with this innovative initiative to tackle NCDs, nurses are the frontline answer in addressing NCDs. Nurses are a force for change and through coordinated action and collaboration between governments and professional organisa-tions we can and must make a difference in prevention and treatment of NCDs," says David Benton, CEO of the ICN.

A healthy nursing work force is a necessity for every country in order to meet the basic needs of its citizens. In a country like South Africa which is experiencing severe shortages of nurses, this may pose a special challenge. By directly addressing the risk factors of NCDs, such as adequate physical activity, no tobacco use, good nutrition, and moderate alcohol use, this project can significantly ease the disease burden of these largely preventable diseases.

The project also aims to develop an ideal model for health institutions and communities that effectively supports health and wellness and that is suitable for scaling up. "As Pfizer South Africa's Biopharmaceutical division, we are very honoured to have assisted in driving this significant programme over the past year on behalf of Pfizer Global. NCDs are a growing concern for both the Department of Health and industry players like ourselves," says Brian Daniel, CEO and country manager for Pfizer SA's Biopharmaceuticals Division. "

Alf James: The Star, 10 May 2012