Commonwealth Nurses Federation

Leading Role at People’s Forum in Uganda  

The CNF played a leading role in advocating for health at the Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF), which was held prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, Uganda in November 2007.  The CNF collaborated with the Commonwealth Dental Association, the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association, the Commonwealth Medical Association and BasicNeeds Trust to present a workshop titled, Prioritise health – realise potential, which reflected the theme of CHOGM, Realising people’s potential.   In addition, the partners combined to hold a lively and well attended health session for the public in the People’s Space. 

The workshop looked at five areas of health - human resources; maternal and child health; lifestyle diseases; safe health practices; and mental health and development.  It was attended by around 100 people and generated much interested debate.  The workshop made a number of recommendations on the areas covered including: 

·         that Governments, together with civil society and other agencies, need to make renewed efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to health and other international health targets.

·         that Governments have a responsibility to be self sufficient in their health workforces and to educate sufficient health workers for their needs.

·         that Governments need to make an extraordinary commitment to maternal and child health to meet MDG targets.

·         that Governments should refocus their health systems on primary health care services, which give health information, promote healthy lifestyles, and provide health screening, early detection and early intervention services in order to reduce lifestyle diseases.

·         that Governments have a responsibility to provide health workers with the resources, equipment and infrastructure so that they can be safe at work. 

The Civil Society Statement from the CPF to CHOGM reflected most of the workshop’s concerns and recommendations.  In their Final Communique Heads of Government reiterated their commitment to attaining the health related MDGs and identified needs in respect of human resources, strengthening of health systems, primary health care services, non-communicable diseases and affordable medicines. 

In addition to carrying out much of the organisational work, the CNF provided a number of speakers for the workshop. Jill Iliffe, the new CNF Executive Secretary, was the Rapporteur. 

BIENNIAL MEETING IN MALAYSIA BREAKS NEW GROUND  

The CNF held a ground-breaking Biennial General Meeting at the Cititel Mid Valley Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 24-25 May 2007.  Representatives from 19 member countries attended.  An interim review of the implementation of the CNF’s Strategic Directions 2006-2010 was carried out.  As a result some future directions were agreed, which included increased activity at Commonwealth ministerial meetings, improved involvement with the Commonwealth Steering Committee for Nursing and Midwifery, more collaboration with other national and international nursing and midwifery organisations, the development of in-country projects and a review of financial arrangements.   

A workshop was held in conjunction with the meeting on the theme: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals - the Commonwealth nursing and midwifery contribution. A Board Meeting was also held on 22-23 May 2007. 

The dedicated work and excellent hospitality of the Organising Committee of the Malaysian Nurses Association, led by Ms Dayang Annie Abang Narudin, ensured the success of the meeting.  The meeting extended their thanks to the Association for making the meeting and the social events so memorable for delegates. 

Ms Ramziah Ahmad, President of the Malaysian Nurses Association, welcomed the 100+ delegates, with over 40 attending from Malaysia.  Susie Kong then delivered her Presidential Address to the meeting.  Susie referred to the relevance of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the CNF’s work, progress made in implementing the CNF’s Strategic Directions and the importance of collaboration with other bodies in future work. 

Dr Noorimi Haji Morad, Deputy Director-General of Health, Malaysia, delivered the keynote address indicating that much progress had been made in Malaysia in recent years with respect to both health and nursing services.  Ann Keeling, Director, Social Transformation Programmes Division, Commonwealth Secretariat also gave a Commonwealth address.  She outlined the work of her Division and particularly the Health Section and stressed the importance of the annual Commonwealth Health Ministers Meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, in which civil society organisations have the opportunity to participate. 

Decisions 

The following future directions were agreed at the Meeting: 

1. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGMs) – there should be more members’ involvement in input and selecting speakers for future workshops at the Commonwealth People’s Forums.  Members should also be urged to attend and participate in these events in order to raise the nursing profile.  Efforts should be made to get government financial support for the appropriate regional Board member to attend each event.

2. Commonwealth Health Ministers Meetings (CHMMs) – there should be more CNF activity at these meetings and members should be encouraged to send representatives.  The process should be coordinated to ensure participation of experts on the selected theme.  The CNF can usually get three observer places at the meetings.  As the CNF has the current representation on the Commonwealth Advisory Committee for Health, the opportunity should be taken to influence the theme for CHMM 2008.

3. Commonwealth Steering Committee for Nursing and Midwifery – efforts should be made to get more effective CNF involvement in the work of the Committee (through Board members’ input) and communication should also be made with the Commonwealth Secretariat to assist in achieving this aim.  The CNF should make representations for regular meetings/teleconferences.

4. Collaboration – there should be more work with other organisations such as WHO, other NGOs, and other international nursing organisations.

5. Projects – the CNF should concentrate on in-country activities involving capacity building and training instead of expensive regional workshops.  These should be in association with partners such as national nursing groups and focus on sharing expertise.  Visits involving a number of neighbouring countries could be arranged.

6. Financial model – this should be reviewed including charging for administrative work carried out, charging fees when the CNF name is used for events, funding Board members to attend meetings, fees/subsidies for Biennial Meetings etc.

7. Membership campaign – a campaign should be carried out with emphasis on the new directions.

With regard to CHOGM, it was noted that the CNF, the Commonwealth Dental Association, the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association, the Commonwealth Medical Association and the charity, Basic Needs were collaborating to organise a workshop at the Commonwealth People’s Forum prior to the next meeting of CHOGM in Uganda in November 2007.  The theme of the workshop was “Prioritise Health – Realise Potential”.  The workshop had five sub-themes covering human resources; maternal and child health; lifestyle diseases; safe health practices; and mental health and development.  

	the CNF subscriptions should remain unchanged and that the situation should be reviewed prior to the next Biennial Meeting in 2009,
	the CNF should continue its involvement with the HIV/AIDS Action Group,
	the next CNF Board Meeting and Biennial General Meeting would be held in Gaborone, Botswana in June 2009,
	the continuation of a successful Website is essential to the future development of the CNF,
	the Emergency Contingency Fund should be continued, and
	the publication of the Directory of Nursing and Midwifery Associations and Chief Nursing Officers should be discontinued (but details of member associations would continue to be collected and disseminated).

Workshop 

The Biennial General Meeting workshop was held on the theme Achieving the Millennium Development Goals - the Commonwealth nursing and midwifery contribution.  The following papers were presented at the Workshop:

1. The Role of the Nursing Board in nursing and midwifery services in Malaysia - Ms Zainooriah Zakaria, Secretary, Ministry of Health, Malaysia.

2. Strengthening nursing and midwifery in the management of HIV/AIDS in the South Pacific – Mrs Alumita Bulicokocoko, Fiji Nursing Association and CNF Board Member.

3. Caribbean initiative aimed at preparing nurses to provide evidence-based HIV/AIDS care - Mrs Marion Howard, Barbados Registered Nurses Association and CNF Board Member (paper presented by Mrs Prescola Rolle, President, Nurses Association of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, on behalf of Mrs Howard).

4. Nurses and midwives’ contribution in improving maternal and child health in Malaysia - Ms Dayang Annie Abang Narudin, Past President, Malaysian Nurses Association.

5. The MDGs – the Commonwealth Secretariat’s health work programme - Mrs Peggy Vidot, Adviser, Health Section, Commonwealth Secretariat.

6. Strengthening nursing and midwifery in sub-Saharan Africa, strategies - Mr Donald Epaalat, National Nurses Association of Kenya and CNF Board Member.

After the meeting discussions and the presentation of the Workshop papers four working groups convened to consider the following topics and make recommendations:

1. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals - the Commonwealth nursing and midwifery contribution (the subject of the Workshop)

2. E-health (the theme of the next CHMM) – proposals for roundtable topics

3. CHMMs – proposals for the future scope and themes of meetings

4. Commonwealth Steering Committee for Nursing and Midwifery – proposals for the work and programme.

These groups presented interim reports at the conclusion of the meeting and representatives of the groups were requested to send their final recommendations to the Executive Secretary.

BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS  

At the Biennial Meeting it was announced that Mr Ioannis Leontiou (Cyprus) had been elected as the new Board member for Europe and that Mr Arvind Kulkarni (India) had been elected as the new Board Member for South Asia, both taking office immediately after the Biennial Meeting. Mr Leontiou replaced Mrs Corinne Ward (Malta) and Mr Kulkarni replaced Mrs Saramma Samuel (India).

President, Susie Kong, offered her congratulations to the new Board members.  The President also thanked Mrs Samuel (8 years) and Mrs Ward (4 years) for their services and presented them with inscribed glass mementos.

The resignation and retirement of the Executive Secretary, Michael Stubbings and the Honorary Treasurer, Mr Douglas Beattie was also announced. 

The President thanked Michael and Douglas for their valuable contributions and services to the CNF – Mr Stubbings (8 years) and Mr Beattie (12 years) – and presented both of them with inscribed glass mementos.

COMMONWEALTH HEALTH MINISTERS MEETING     

The 2008 Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM) took place at the Ramada Park Hotel, Geneva on 18 May. The theme of the meeting was eHealth. The CNF delegation at the meeting comprised Susie Kong, CNF President and Jill Iliffe, incoming CNF Executive Secretary. Jill Iliffe presented a paper on behalf of the Commonwealth health professional associations titled: eHealth - The human resources implications.  

The Ministers issued a statement on eHealth which included references to human resource implications.  

It was decided that the theme of Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting in 2009 would be Climate change and health.

7th EUROPEAN CONFERENCE

The CNF hosted its 7th European Conference in Malta 4-5 March 2008, with the theme Commonwealth nurses advancing nursing care: collaboration in Europe.  A CNF Business Meeting was held on 5 March involving the Presidents and officers of the three member associations.  

SINGAPORE WORKSHOPS

Very useful workshops for nurses and midwives from the Pacific region were held in Singapore 12-13 February 2007. These were organised by the Commonwealth Steering Committee for Nursing and Midwifery in conjunction with the CNF. The workshops focused on improving working lives and on presentation, proposal writing and influencing skills for senior nurses and midwives. About 80 delegates from six countries in the region took part. President, Susie Kong assisted with the arrangements for the workshops.

The workshop sessions were conducted informally, with opportunities for participants to discuss issues in groups, as well as in plenary sessions, and to practice skills taught.  Delegates were encouraged to complete action plans at the end of the workshops to help them apply and share what they had learnt on return to their work places.  They were also given copies of related Commonwealth and WHO resource materials to take away with them.  A nominated representative from each country’s delegation was given an evaluation questionnaire to complete and return four months after the event.   

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation were thanked for providing funding assistance for these workshops. Following the Commonwealth Steering Committee workshops on 12-13 February the CNF held a further workshop at the office of the Singapore Nurses Association on 14 February. The objective of this workshop was to help participants to develop project action plans utilising the tools learnt during the Steering Committee workshops. There were 10 participants in the workshop from 4 countries.