Kumasi, May 20, GNA - Miss Dzibodi Kpikpitse, Head of Department of School of Nursing, Garden City University College (GCUC), has urged nurses to show empathy for the sick to aid their speedy recovery. She said they needed to treat patients with dignity and respect, adding that their rights must be upheld.

Miss Kpikpitse was addressing a day's symposium organized by the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) at the auditorium of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital's Nurses and Midwifery Training College to mark this year's nurses' day celebration. "Closing the gap, increasing equity and access" was the theme. She said as health workers, their focus should be on helping to bring relief and comfort to the sick. Mr Kwame Adinkra Amo, Ashanti Regional Chairman of GRNA, asked them to work hard to maintain high standards of professionalism. This, he said, was necessary to enable them to win public support, trust and confidence. Mr Adinkra appealed to them to accept to stay in the country to assist to provide quality health care services to the people.

Mr Daniel Atta Tuffour, Principal of the Kwadaso Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Nurses Training College, spoke of the need for nurses and other health professionals to adopt positive attitudes to work. They should do everything to make the hospitals, health centres and clinics friendly to patients. The Principal of the Saint Patrick's Midwifery Training College (MTC), Offinso-Maase, Mrs Alice Donkor, said 93they need to re-visit the traditional way of nursing" which entailed working with passion for "our common humanity." She said they should also carry themselves with decency.