Posted on: Sun 10-04-2022

Participants at the just concluded AGM of the West African Postgraduate College of Nurses and Midwives have recommended that the WAPCNM in conjunction with NMCN and NANNM, facilitate the actualization of nursing consultancy, improved remuneration and better working environment for nurses inaddition to a call to make Research publications mandatory for Fellows 

This was made known in a communique released by the WAPCNM at the conclusion of its 21st Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting which held at the Federal Neuro-psychiatric hospital conference center Lagos from Monday 4th to Friday 8th April 2022. The theme of the conference was Nursing in Pandemic Times: Challenges and Implications. The conference had 228 participants with 154 fellows in attendance and 40 attending virtually

At the event, seventeen persons were given meritorious awards for their contributions to the growth of the nursing profession, the college and health care delivery while new Fellows who had their investiture at the 2021 Biennial General Meeting (BGM) in Cotonou, Benin Republic were welcomed into the Chapter.

The plenary sessions had a total of six (6) scientific papers including the keynote address and sixteen (16) abstracts presentation. The issues addressed in the scientific papers were: 

• Community health nurse as the gatekeeper in controlling the spread of COVID– 19/ communicable diseases.
• Vaccine hesitancy in the community even amongst health workers: myths and facts.
• Reducing maternal morbidity/mortality amongst internally displaced women
• Mental Health Services amidst COVID -19 pandemic
• Financial management and book keeping.

The following resolutions were made at the conference

• Inclusion of ways to reduce burn out of nurses and the prioritization of the welfare of nurses
• Young nurses should be mentored and encouraged.
• Fellows should ensure that hand washing stations are not dismantled in our facilities to curb the spread of communicable diseases
• WAPCNM should carry out intense sensitization and advocacy for women who are sexually assaulted, educate men to protect and respect women. Collaborate with government, NGOs, religious organizations to care for women in IDP camps.
• Women in the community should be trained/educated on how to defend and protect themselves.
• Fellows should be involved in politics, lobbying, collaborate with stakeholders to ensure nursing and nurses’ voice are heard in the society.
• Nurses should with other stakeholders in health to disabuse the minds of the public on the use of Covid vaccine
• College should liase with the policy making bodies for the appropriate remuneration and promotion commensurate with the Fellow certificate as applied to other healthcare professionals.
• The contribution of the government is well appreciated, while we are imploring the federal government to give a due recognition for appropriate placement and ensures should be adequately represented at the health policy making at all levels.

The West African Postgraduate College of Nurses and Midwives, is a specialized agency of the West African Health Organization with the mission: to provide postgraduate nursing and midwifery education and disseminate technical health information towards the attainment of the highest possible standards and protection/promotion of the health of the people of West Africa sub-region through cooperation among member states having a statutory obligation to organize annual scientific conference/general meeting in each member country. 

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