The Nigerian Government will host the West African College of Nursing (WACN) 14th Biennial General Meeting (BGM) in Abuja from July 1 to 8.
According to a press statement by the Ministry of Health on Thursday, the minister, Isaac Adewole, said the conference, featuring the 23rd Scientific Session and 37th Council Meeting, is themed: ‘Emerging Health Emergencies: Community and Health Workforce Response in the Sub-region.’
The conference seeks to address issues including the emerging impact of non-communicable diseases, emerging health emergencies in Infant and young child feeding and protection of healthcare workers during conflict and insurgencies.
Giving a brief background of the WACN, the minister said that the college is an agency of the West African Health Organization with headquarters in Burkina Faso.
He explained that the college was officially inaugurated in Banjul, the Gambia in April 1981 with the aim to promote excellence in nursing education and maintain the standard of nursing and contribute to the improvement of health care within the West African Sub-region, as well as promote and encourage research in the field of nursing.
Membership of the WACN comprises Anglo and Franco-phone countries in West Africa, namely: Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra-Leone and recently Benin Republic which joined in 2003 and hosted the Biennial General Meeting in 2009.
Mr. Adewole said that member countries of the college host the Biennial General Meetings and Scientific Conference on rotational basis, adding that the last BGM was hosted by Ghana in 2015. Nigeria last hosted it in March 2005.
He expressed optimism that the BGM and Scientific Conferences offer opportunities for Nurses and Midwives from the Sub-region to share experience in nursing education and practice.
PREMIUM TIMES
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