President Cyril Ramaphosa has recently addressed critical issues facing South Africa's nursing profession, emphasizing their vital role in the nation's healthcare system and socioeconomic development. Speaking at the ninth national congress of the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) in Ekurhuleni, Ramaphosa highlighted the government's commitment to supporting nurses and addressing the challenges they face.

A key concern raised by President Ramaphosa is the alarming trend of nurses leaving South Africa for opportunities abroad, exacerbating the existing shortage of healthcare professionals within the country. He noted a decline in training numbers, attributing it not only to a perceived lack of attractiveness of the nursing profession but also to factors such as accreditation delays. This shortage is further compounded by a high unemployment rate among qualified medical doctors and nurses in provinces such as Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Limpopo. The healthcare system is also grappling with severe understaffing, overcrowded hospitals, budget deficits, and inadequate infrastructure, creating a challenging environment for nurses.

Denosa has voiced concerns about the nursing shortage, reporting that many healthcare workers face heavy workloads while a significant number of nurses remain jobless. President Ramaphosa welcomed the discussion of these issues at the Denosa congress, where solutions are being explored. He stressed the importance of nurses in the healthcare system and their broader contribution to the country's socioeconomic development. The recruitment of nurses by other countries was also a key point of discussion, with Ramaphosa encouraging Denosa to play a more active role in shaping policy decisions that affect the nursing profession.

President Ramaphosa outlined the government’s strategic priorities for the next five years, including driving inclusive growth, creating jobs, and reducing poverty. He emphasized that achieving improved, equitable health outcomes across the population is critical for economic growth and poverty eradication. He called on Denosa to ensure that training and capacity-building efforts align with community needs and the evolution of diseases, advocating for engagement with policymakers to ensure the nursing profession is well-represented in the development of new healthcare policies.

Acknowledging the vital contributions of nurses to the nation, Ramaphosa pointed to the positive trend of increasing nursing registrations with the South African Nursing Council as a hopeful sign for the future of the profession. He reinforced the integral role of the nursing profession in ensuring the delivery of quality public services and addressing the nation’s healthcare needs.

President Ramaphosa also underscored the central role nurses will play in the successful implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI). He described the NHI as a key step towards realizing a society that upholds the dignity of every citizen, especially in their most vulnerable moments. The NHI, designed to pool funds to provide universal access to quality healthcare services, has faced significant opposition. Despite these challenges, Ramaphosa reaffirmed his commitment to the NHI, emphasizing that the right to dignity matters most when people are sick and in need of help.

Ramaphosa acknowledged emerging challenges within the nursing profession beyond the preparation for NHI, including growing concerns about litigation against nurses and the increasing number of undocumented patients from neighboring countries seeking treatment in South African public health facilities. Denosa President Simon Hlungwani voiced the organization’s full support for NHI, calling for universal healthcare coverage as a human right.

President Ramaphosa praised the resilience and dedication of the nursing profession, particularly demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. He called for continued collaboration to overcome challenges in the healthcare system and to define and implement a new course for South African nursing into the future. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working closely with Denosa and other stakeholders to create the best working conditions possible for nurses.