National Iraqi Nurses Conference Convenes in Baghdad
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov/
Press: (202) 712-4320
Public Information: (202) 712-4810
2003-064
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2003
Contact: USAID Press Office
Baghdad, Iraq -- The National Iraqi Nurses Conference convened today at the Baghdad Convention Center. The two-day conference, sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in conjunction with the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), attracted more than 200 of Iraq's senior leadership of nursing and healthcare professionals to address the future of nursing in Iraq. They joined together for an Iraqi-led dialogue on standards and curriculum, continuing education, how to educate and train current nurses in a new system, bylaws and regulations, a nursing code of ethics, nursing specializations, a national library of nursing, and a nursing research institute and council.
The conference participants will review, discuss and revise a ten-year plan of action drafted by the Ministry of Health, non-government organizations, the College of Nurses, nurse managers and floor nurses. The plan takes a holistic approach to begin to rectify the years of substandard training and professionalism in Iraq's nursing community. Due to the steep cuts in budget allocations by the former regime, the entire Iraqi health sector suffered from a lack of equipment, supplies, training, operation and maintenance funding since the 1980s. Much of the equipment is old and Iraqi health professionals have had little technological contact with new developments in the international health field.
The National Iraqi Nurses Conference and the action plan were funded as part of USAID's Iraq Health Systems Strengthening Projects to help upgrade Iraqi nursing services and improve the public health system throughout Iraq. To increase the level of professionalism in nursing the conference delegates will encourage education in every important specialty within nursing, including intensive care and oncology. Specialty training will improve the quality of care in Iraq, increase the professionalism and job satisfaction for nurses, as well as spur the recruitment of future nurses. A professional nursing corps in Iraq that meets all of the needs in the country will lead to improved health conditions of Iraqi citizens. Nursing plays a key role in maintaining the health of a country.
The USAID grant to the Iraqi Nurses Association is the first in a series of small grants issued by USAID's implementing partner Abt Associates, which will be made to both international and local non-governmental organizations to support improvements in Iraq's health sector, especially focusing on maternal-child health. Others will focus on private sector providers of care and community health development projects.
At the conclusion of the two-day meeting, conference participants will reconvene to summarize the findings of the various break-out sessions. The conference participants are anxious to empower the nurses of Iraq with the tools they need to be a professional nursing corps that is paid fairly, respected by their peers and patients, and meets all the healthcare needs of the community.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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