The work of this professional group has always been of crucial importance in saving millions of lives around the world.
May 12 is celebrated worldwide as International Nurses Day to commemorate the birth of Florence Nightingale, the mother of modern nursing. But why was her work so important? During the Crimean War (1853â1856), Florence volunteered to treat soldiers, and in 1860, when the war ended, she founded a nursing school. In 1912, two years after her death, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) established this day as International Nurses Day.
The work of all healthcare workers has always been of vital importance, with extremely high social value, and currently the coronavirus health crisis has left a catastrophic global landscape. More than 150 million people have been infected worldwide, and hospitals are overwhelmed with the more than 30 million who have required some type of healthcare. Nursing staff are working tirelessly, but the situation remains critical in many countries, which are overwhelmed by the new infections.
Juan Ciudad NGO supports the healthcare work of this group
Juan Ciudad NGO does not want to be left behind in this important fight and therefore advocates for and supports the work of millions of healthcare workers in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
To this end, the Volunteer Department of Juan Ciudad NGO, in collaboration with the various centers of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God in Spain and their nursing staff, is conducting training and experience-sharing sessions, as well as providing advice on the clinical management of COVID-19. These activities are aimed at nursing and medical professionals at OHSJD social and healthcare centers in various countries, such as Bolivia and Ghana. The collaboration began in March and will conclude in November of this year.
We also offer training and advice on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques, medical counseling in various specialties, and physical therapy for people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Occupational therapy for children and young people with physical and intellectual disabilities is also included in the program, among other workshops and initiatives we develop.
Example of dedication
We must not forget that the work of nursing staff has always been essential in treating and alleviating diseases such as cancer, Ebola, malaria, meningitis, and HIV. In the Community Health projects that Juan Ciudad NGO develops in Sierra Leone, Bolivia, Ghana, Kenya, Cuba, Liberia, Senegal, Peru, Cameroon, and Colombia, nursing staff are the cornerstone of community health. During the health crisis caused by COVID-19, nursing staff are playing a key role in helping millions of sick people heal, but also in helping them die with support.
An example of dedication and dedication to this profession is represented by Willian Ekeurm, a volunteer nurse who cared for the Sister Chantal Pascaline, who fell ill and later died in 2014 from Ebola at St. Joseph's Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia.
© Aukje Bovendeerdt, taken in 2017 in Lunsar, Sierra Leone.
