Takoradi, April 26,-GNA - Mrs. Fanny Enos, National Chairperson of the Community Health Nurses Group on Saturday inaugurated the Western Region branch of the group at Takoradi with a call on members to work hard to protect the good image of nurses, and the health profession in general. She advised nurses to make discipline their watchword and give due respect to their clients and also people in the community in which they work.

Mrs Enos noted that even though Community Health Nurses faced a lot of challenges, they must persevere and find innovative ways to enhance healthcare delivery in order for the Ministry of Health to achieve set targets.

Dr. (Mrs) Linda Vanotoo, Deputy Western Regional Director of Health Service emphasised the important role Community Health Nurses play to bring quality health service delivery to the door-steps of the people. She expressed the hope that the activities of the group would not be limited to seeking the interests and welfare of members only, but also help to implement policies that would enhance the health status of the community.

Dr. Vanotoo advised Community Health Nurses to recognise their potentials and continue to regard themselves as an important component of the health sector and work more efficiently to implement programmes evolved by the government to reduce health problems among the people. By so doing, she said, they would be contributing their quota to reduce poverty among the people and enhance their socio-economic activities.

Dr. Vanotoo said; "As an important component of the health sector, we should see members do less complaining, work hard to gather adequate information for research work and analysis and also help the community to identify and find solutions to their health problems". She mentioned high incidents of teenage pregnancy, maternal deaths, malnutrition and anaemia among pregnant mothers and children as some of the health problems in the region that Community Health Nurses were expected to help to reduce.

Madam Nathalia Kerenke, Western Regional Chairperson of the Community Health Nurses group described members as the "foot soldiers" of the Ghana Health Services tasked with the efficient implementation of all preventive health programmes in the country.

She said, it was through members' "selfless dedicated service" that diseases such as measles, whooping cough, diphtheria, poliomyelitis and tetanus, among others had been reduced drastically in the country. Madam Kerenke called for the reintroduction of the supply of uniforms, sandals, weighing scales, first aid kits, transport and other logistics to help Community Health Nurses to perform more efficiently. She complained that nowadays Community Health Nurses were being forced to use part of their meagre salaries for outreach programmes and said that was "unfair".

Madam Kerenke appealed to the Authorities to encourage Community Health Nurses who wish to upgrade themselves by helping them to find admission into the Midwifery Training Schools.

The eight-member executive was sworn into office by Mrs Enos. Other members were Mrs Mary Emelia, Vice-Chairperson, Mr Ebenezer Hayfron, Secretary, Mrs Cecilia Bandoh, Assistant Secretary and Mrs Margaret Broomfi, Organising Secretary.