Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik (left) and Mariam Al Mutawa
Doha: The Arab Board of Ministers of Health from all 22 Arab nations declared last year that all Arab countries will celebrate Arab Nurses and Midwives Day annually every November 3 to recognise the role of professional nurses and midwives in supporting their patients, healthcare organisations and communities.
Dr. Mariam Abdulmalik, Managing Director of Primary Health Care Corporation, explained the importance of marking this day: “This is a wonderful opportunity to collectively recognise the legacy of the pioneers in the Arab world who provided nursing and midwifery care over the past centuries through to the present.
“We are very proud of the professionalism of nurses and midwives who are committed to delivering high standards of patient care across our healthcare sector, from primary to secondary care, in public and private institutions. Healthcare organisations rely on efficient nurses and midwives to deliver much of the direct patient or customer interaction. Whether they have come from overseas and brought their experience and expertise with them, or they have trained locally in an accredited educational institution, the combination of multicultural and multi-national teams, their dedication and competence are what makes them so valuable to the health sectors and communities they serve.”
To mark the occasion, each year, all 22 Arab countries arrange local events for their healthcare workers. Qatar held its educational and celebratory event, the 2nd Arab Nurses and Midwives Virtual Conference, on October 29. The Qatar-based event was brought forward in recognition that each country will likely arrange some special events. In addition, many nurses in Qatar are involved in the healthcare services for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Mariam Al Mutawa, Acting Chief Nursing Officer for Hamad Medical Corporation and HMC Tactical Command Group (TCG) Nursing Lead for ongoing COVID-19 planning and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, said that this is an exciting period for the profession. “This occasion provides an ideal platform to reflect on how nursing and midwifery roles have evolved in the modern day, where well-trained, licensed professionals use evidence-based best practices to provide care in complex healthcare systems. Major developments in nursing and midwifery best practices over the past decade have been instrumental in enabling our profession to have the capability and resilience to manage the challenges faced during the recent pandemic.
"The leadership qualities demonstrated by so many nurses across multiple frontlines is a testament to the indispensable value and contribution of nursing and midwifery in supporting each country’s efforts to secure the health and wellbeing of their respective populations.
“This Day is designed not only for nurses and midwives to rejoice and celebrate these noble professions, but it is an opportunity to bring us closer as a community, not only locally with other healthcare professionals and organisations, but also with our regional colleagues. We are stronger together and our voice as valuable contributors to healthcare sectors will be more widely heard by working together and supporting each other.”
Al Mutawa added: “We already partner with organisations such as the International Council of Nursing (ICN), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and support global projects such as the Nursing Now Challenge and the Nightingale Challenge that have a significant global impact. However, Arab Nurses and Midwives Day enables us to focus on the unique aspects of this region and allows us to express a shared identity with many similar cultural values pertinent to this part of the world; this is something that our young nursing and midwifery students can readily identify with.”
Arab Nurses and Midwives Day complements International Nurses Day (IND) which is celebrated globally on May 12, and the International Day of the Midwife, celebrated on May 5 each year. The International Council of Nurses’ (ICN) over-arching theme, “Nurses: A Voice to Lead,” calls for nurses’ visibility in bringing positive change and deterring forces that threaten global health.
