NHS a model for healthcare around the world
UNISON has teamed up with Oxfam and joined Dorothy Ngoma, Executive Director of the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives in Malawi, for a visit to the Whittington Hospital. The group toured our new Midwifery and Birthing unit on Monday 23 February, to meet staff and look at the latest technology used to care for premature babies. Dorothy is visiting the UK with Oxfam, to promote the For All Campaign, which is asking the UK government to champion the role of public health care in developing countries. During her stay, Dorothy will be meeting with MPs and addressing 500 delegates on Saturday 28 February at the UNISON National Women’s Conference.
Dorothy has 40 years of experience working as a nurse, training nurses and advocating on behalf of nurses in Malawi. She has experience first hand the difficult working conditions that health workers in Malawi face on a daily basis including working back to back 24 hour shifts, being the only nurse covering an extensive rural area, the lack of basic equipment, and the chronic shortage of staff.
Karen Jennings, UNISON National Secretary Health said: “It is sometimes easy to take the NHS for granted and it takes a visit to a fantastic new facility, like the one at the Whittington Hospital, to see just how lucky we are. The NHS should be a model for healthcare around the world, particularly in developing countries where many people don’t have access to basic public healthcare.
Dorothy said: “What is needed is for investment in public healthcare and for governments across the world to make sure that investment means more healthcare workers and resources for people who need them. One of the ways that can happen is for there to be strong public health services which are free at the point of access.”
To learn more about Oxfam’s For All campaign visit www.oxfam.org.uk
Last updated25 Feb 2009