By Mike Adeyemi
Kwara nurses have been adjudged the best in the country.
The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Usman Kolo stated this on Tuesday, during the maiden reunion luncheon of Kwara State Nurses Elders Forum held at Bovina Hall, Ilorin.
According to him, nursing profession in the state has evolved over time and can compete with what obtains in other parts of the globe.
Kolo, who was a special guest at the event further noted that though there is a paradigm shift between the current crops of nurses and four decades ago.
“I think the upcoming nurses have lots to learn from the technocrats in the profession, present here today,” the Commissioner said.
In her remarks, the Head of Service, Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole lauded the contribution of nurses to the medical service delivery in the state.
She urged the upcoming nurses to tap from the wealth of experience of elders in the profession.
“The serving nurses have lots to gain from these erudite retired nurses who have distinguished themselves in over four decades in the profession. I think if they can do this, it will bring about more sanity and optimum service delivery into the nursing profession,” she said.
Earlier, the Chairman, Kwara State Nurses Elders Forum, Ayo Fagbemi said, the forum was launched a year ago to foster unity amongst retired and serving nurses.
“Let me disabuse the minds of some individuals or group about an erroneous impression that those who choose nursing as career are dropouts or who could not do well in other disciplines.
“Nursing that was being looked down upon in the past has grown to be the envy of students as they struggle to be admitted into the discipline,” she said.
Speaking further, Fagbemi said nurses in Kwara State have distinguished themselves in public service.
“Nurses in the state who have been appointed Commissioners are Hajia Ayinke Saka who served in the Health and Women Affairs ministries having first served as permanent secretary in the civil service.
“Also, Alhaja Funmilayo Oniwa served as Commissioner for Industry and Solid Minerals and Ministry of Commerce and Cooperatives just as the present Commissioner for Health, Usman Kolo Rifun was also a nurse.”
Speaking on ‘Nursing, current and future trends’ the guest speaker, Prof Adenike Olaogun,
traced the historical account of nursing profession to Florence Nightingale who mobilised a group of women to provide care to wounded soldiers who fought at the Crimean war.
