17 Feb 2014

The UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council Reviews Annual Report and Strategic Plan for 2014 - 2016

17 February 2014Dubai, UAE -- Chairperson of the UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA) HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in a meeting with the UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council, today called for efforts to attract Emiratis to the nursing and midwifery profession across the Nation. HRH Princess Haya also expressed Her support of a collaborative approach to recruit nurses who are graduates of local universities to foster more culturally sound nursing care to UAE citizens.

Attending the meeting was His Excellency Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, the UAE Minister of Health, His Excellency Essa Al Maidour, Director of the Dubai Health Authority and Her Excellency Dr. Maha Barakat, Director of the Health Authority in Abu Dhabi and the members of the Council representatives of the health authorities and institutes of higher education.

As part of the discussion, the Council’s activities from the previous year (2013) as well as the strategic plan for 2014-2016, were reviewed. Key achievements were the Council’s first conference (March 2013) which showcased its activities and as well as experiences with neighboring countries and a workshop for the GCC countries on nursing specialization (November 2013) with the support of the World Health Organization and the Emirates Nursing Association.

Other achievements in 2013 also included drafting standards for licensing nurses and midwives. In this regard, members of the Board expressed their support of the unification of licenses for health professionals in the country signed by HE Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, HE Essa Al Maidoor, and HE Dr Maha Barakat, during Arab Health 2014. Members also highlighted the importance of having the Council’s representatives in official Committees that undertake tasks in line with the Council’s mission and vision.

The Council’s directives for the Strategic Plan 2014 - 2016 included: 1) Participate in the development of plans to nationalize nursing and midwifery 2) work with stakeholders on the implementation of unified standards released by the Council in the areas of practice, registration and licensing, and education for nursing and midwifery 3) represent nursing and midwifery in the official committees that embark on regulating healthcare professions in the country 4) get acknowledgement of an organizational structure for the Council with an appropriate budget to enable it to accomplish its tasks.

In closing, the attendees of the meeting discussed the Council’s operational plan for 2014-2016, as per the direction of HRH Princess Haya, as well as the results of the evaluation session that was held in November 2013 with a World Health Organization Consultant. As part of the plan, the Council highlighted the need for it to serve as an advisory body that regulates nursing and midwifery in the UAE as well as the importance of opening a research center and implementing unified standards to regulate the profession in the state.

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