Swaziland Wellness Centre Innovative and Effective Response to Healthcare Worker Crisis

Unique Public-Private Collaboration Addresses Major Issue in Sub-Saharan Africa Health Care Systems

Manzini, Swaziland, 23 April 2008 – Health Ministers of Swaziland and Uganda today honoured the public-private partnership that is behind the Swaziland Wellness Centre for Health Care Workers.  Partners in the initiative include the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the Swaziland Nurses Association and the medical technology and diagnostics provider BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company).

In sub-Saharan Africa, healthcare systems are experiencing a severe scarcity of healthcare workers, due to the HIV and TB pandemics, significant risk of Hepatitis B infection, migration and very difficult working conditions.  This human capacity crisis is colliding with the healthcare needs of the region and weakening already fragile systems that are being challenged in delivering both basic and life-saving health services.

Together, BD, ICN, have worked with national nursing associations in Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia and Malawi to help strengthen and revitalise these systems through wellness centers providing care for healthcare workers who, in turn, are able to better care for their patients and communities.  The Minister of Health of Uganda, Dr Stephen Mallinga, joined today’s proceedings to witness first-hand the work that is being done in Swaziland, and expressed strong support for the initiative’s further expansion on the continent – particularly in Uganda.

The first of its kind, the Swaziland Wellness Centre has been in operation since late 2006. It provides Swaziland’s 8000 health care workers with holistic assistance, including medical care for them and their immediate family members, testing, counseling and treatment for HIV and TB; stress management; training opportunities and access to health-related information.

Today’s event also served as an opportunity to announce a much-needed donation of 12,000 doses of Hepatitis B vaccine and 12,000 syringes for the purpose of vaccinating all health care workers in Swaziland – nurses, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, orderlies, maintenance, kitchen and other workers.  The vaccine and syringe donations were made by the pharmaceutical company MSD (Pty) Ltd and BD respectively, and the first unit was delivered to the Principal Secretary of the Swaziland Health Department, Ms Nomathemba Dlamini.

The Wellness Centre initiative has been hailed by the World Health Organization, Physicians for Human Rights and others as a successful blueprint for effectively treating, training and retaining health workers, and thereby improving the quality of care on the continent. Plans are afoot to expand it in other countries in the region, possibly including Uganda which is the reason for the Ugandan Health Minister’s participation in today’s activities.

Speaking at today’s function, Judith Oulton, ICN’s Chief Executive Officer said that the Swazi Centre has to date reached 5,200 health care workers, and that the national health department is reporting reduced migration of nurses, decrease in absenteeism, increased access to post-exposure prophylaxis (for workplace infections) and improved health worker motivation and mental health.

Gary Cohen, Executive Vice President, BD said: “The most fundamental step we can take to improve health services access and treat pandemic diseases in Africa is to properly support the continent’s small and fragile health workforce.  Wellness Centres are a simple yet very powerful concept for enhancing the well being of nurses and other health professionals who devote their own lives to saving the lives of others.”

It is estimated that the program will reach 40,000 healthcare workers and their immediate families.
 
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most common blood-borne infection and the only one of the three serious viral infections which can be prevented through vaccinations. “Given the severe shortage of qualified health professionals in the developing world, and the high prevalence of hepatitis in many countries, mandatory availability of HBV vaccine to healthcare workers represents a sensible and important investment toward protecting a health system’s most precious resource – its people,” commented Sam Nkalashe, Corporate Responsibility and Health Policy Manager at MSD South Africa.

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About the International Council of Nurses (ICN) 

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of national nurses associations in 129 countries and represents the more than 13 million nurses working worldwide. Founded in 1899, ICN is the first and widest reaching international organization for health professionals and works to ensure quality care for people everywhere. Through its three main program areas - regulation, professional practice and socioeconomic welfare - ICN focuses on advancing nursing and health worldwide, while working on the ground with its members to advance development and contribute directly to the Millennium Development Goals.

The Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambian and Malawi Nurses Associations are valued members of ICN and partners in many important areas including, the Wellness Centres for Healthcare Workers program; the ICN/MSD Mobile Nursing Library initiative for nurses serving populations in remote areas; the Girl Child Education Fund putting orphan girls back to school; malaria and TB training programs; and, the nursing library for refugee health.

About BD
BD, a leading global medical technology company that manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents, is dedicated to improving people’s health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug therapy, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases, and advancing research and discovery of new drugs and vaccines. The Company’s capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world’s most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs more than 25,000 people in approximately 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. For more information, please visit www.bd.com

About MSD (Pty) Ltd
MSD (Pty) Ltd is the South African subsidiary Merck & Co. Inc., New Jersey, a global research-driven pharmaceutical company that devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programmes that not only donate MSD medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. In 2008, MSD is commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Merck Medical Outreach Programme, the primary vehicle through which MSD donates medicines and vaccines for use in the developing world. For more information, please visit www.merck.com/cr

ICN/PR08 #08

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