UNMC launches Guidelines for private nurses and midwives practice & National Mentorship Standards for student nurses and midwives to enhance public safety.
Drake Nyamugabwa
Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council (UNMC) a health professional regulatory and supervisory body has launched new guidelines for private nursing and midwives practice together with the mentorship standards for student nurses and midwives and the continuing professional development framework for nurses and midwives to enhance the profession.
During the launch of the 3 documents on 18th Feb’2022 at Fairway hotel, the representative of The Minister of Health in Charge of general Duties, Hon. Anita Kawoya applauded UNMC for developing the standard for the training of nurses and guidelines for the private nurses and midwives.
She appealed to the new governing council to fully understand the duties ahead of them including timely presentation of the council budget to avoid delays in implementation.
“Despite challenges, the council has achieved milestones including developing standards for appropriate training and developing guidelines for private practice of nurses and midwives. Its evident work” she said
At the handover ceremony, the incoming Chairperson UNMC Elizabeth Nawekombe Ekong while presenting the report for the 7th Governance Council that served from 2018-2021 expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Health for entrusting the m with the responsibility and role to serve UNMC as a regulatory body.
She added that as Chairperson of the 8th Governance Council she is committed to accomplish pending activities of the 7th Governance council and continue with other duties including following up on the issue of office space for the secretariat, finalise the scope of the practice, finalise review of UNMC policy, recruit staff among others.
“The 7th Governance Council recommended a budget approval with the office space for FY2019/20 and 2021/22 which were done. However, the process of instituting a PDU unit delayed the process, so procurement was not possible in FY2019/20” she said
The Registrar, UNMC, Nimwesiga Christine (2nd R with the secretariet in pcture above) highlighted that since the establishment of the council in, the council has made various strides with the legal frameworks that has transformed the body under vibrant leadership reflecting the strategies milestones over the years. However, she expressed concern that the government decision to merge institutions will affect the council taking into account its uniqueness urging government to be considerate.
She said the approval of the previous governance council’s support to nurses to generate knowledge and research has gone along way in informing practice.
She added that in order to increase efficiency in service delivery, the council management has developed tools for online registration.
“The Council is being affected by the merger of institution arrangement. There is need to consider the uniqueness of the council. The opportunities of the council as a member of regional and international recognitions whose take in the region is important” she said
The UNMC is a health professional regulatory and supervisory body established by the Nurses and midwives Act 1996 to set and regulate standards of training and practices of nursing and midwifery profession to ensure public safety.
The outgoing governance council was appointed and inaugurated in September 2018 by Ministry of Health and assigned key oversight duties to the council focused on system strengthening and improving the quality of UNMC services, financial safety, staffing, office space among others.
