Nurses and midwives have been urged to strengthen compassionate and respectful healthcare services to improve patients’ experiences and ensure Tanzanians receive quality treatment at all levels of healthcare delivery.
The call was made by the Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services in the Ministry of Health, Ms Ziada Sellah, during the Annual General Meeting of Nurse Leaders held at the PSSF halls in Dodoma yesterday.
Ms Sellah said effective communication between healthcare providers and patients remains critical in helping citizens understand their medical conditions, prescribed treatment and the healthcare support they require even after discharge from hospital.
She noted that nurses account for nearly 80 percent of healthcare services provided in the country, making their role central to the success of Tanzania’s healthcare system.
“Nurses provide almost 80 percent of all healthcare services. It is therefore important to conduct regular evaluations to ensure services remain professional, efficient and responsive to the needs of wananchi,” she said.
She explained that the meeting was aimed at reviewing healthcare services offered in different facilities across the country, identifying challenges affecting service delivery and developing strategies to improve patient care.
According to Ms Sellah, the annual forum also provides an opportunity for nursing and midwifery leaders to exchange experiences and review progress in healthcare delivery from dispensaries to national referral hospitals.
She said participants were also being updated on reforms and new healthcare guidelines introduced by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen health services nationwide.
Ms Sellah urged citizens to promptly report challenges encountered while seeking medical care to enable authorities to respond and improve services in time.
She also encouraged pregnant women to begin antenatal clinic visits early so that healthcare professionals can identify possible complications and provide timely medical intervention.
The meeting brought together nursing leaders from regional administrations, councils, regional referral hospitals, zonal hospitals, national hospitals and coordinators of reproductive and child health services from across Tanzania.
