By Saio Marrah
Member of Parliament for the governing Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), Wuyatta Bernadette Songa of Constituency 008, Kailahun District, has called on her fellow members of parliament to support repeal of the 1956 Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) Code of Conduct, in a bid to upholding professional standards.
The MP during debate of the 2022 government budget, expressed her disappointment after visiting various hospitals across the country including the Ola During ‘Cottage’ , where she noticed the proper code of conduct by nurses were not being followed. She said patients' information are being given out, nurses shout at patients and women give birth on the floor.
According to her, overseas countries like the United Kingdom, where she served as a nurse for 17 years, are now progressing because they had repealed and strengthened the NMC for better monitoring of nurses.
According to her, despite the bold step by the government to give pin code to 1000 nurses, the country is not judiciously reaping benefits. She said especially in the provinces, nurses abandon their duty for their personal issues.
Bernadette also called for a proper oversight committee by MPs because according to her, the whole budget can be allocated to the health and educational sector, but if proper monitoring was not done the desired results cannot be realised.
She also called on all for change of mentality and pointed out that despite the recent refurbishment of the Cottage hospital, people still dump garbage in the gutters around the hospital.
While appreciating the reduction of child mortality in the country, she pointed out that in her constituency, what are classified as the Free Health Care Drugs that are supposed to be given freely to the lactating mothers, disabled, and children under age 5, are being sold. She described that as sabotaging the government's efforts.
MP Songa said Dickson Memorial Hospital in Kailahun was among the best in country before the civil war, serving the whole of the Eastern region, but has now deteriorated.
According to her, with the help of President Julius Maada Bio, they were able to sign a memorandum of understanding in 2020, in which the government took 80 percent control of the hospital, but claimed progress has been slow. She therefore pleaded that government activates contents of the agreement.
The government has allocated 11 percent of the 2022 budget to the health sector.
Copyright © Politico Online 06/12/21
