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The 4th International Nursing Congress of Armenia, titled “Global Nursing Leadership, Leading Through Uncertainty,” has kicked off in Yerevan.
Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan joined other officials, experts, health professionals and others at the opening event.
Congress President Alina Kushkyan said in her welcoming remarks that holding such an event is a great honor for the Armenian side, bringing together professionals determined to share their experience and knowledge.
“During the congress, we will try to find ways to develop nursing in the right direction. Our international partners are here, having arrived in Yerevan to share the latest developments and innovations in this field. Nursing education is extremely important. Strong nursing education further strengthens the healthcare system, which in turn is a guarantee of a healthy society and a secure population,” Kushkyan said.
She added that during the congress’s two working days, participants would have the opportunity to discuss various issues. According to her, one of the most important aspects would be for delegates to raise the level of nursing by integrating into the international nursing community.
“This is a platform where you can interact with colleagues on an equal footing and create new connections while working at the global level. I believe that we will try to introduce the latest innovations recorded around the world into nursing in Armenia, for the benefit of people’s health,” Kushkyan said.
Siddhartha Sankar Datta, WHO Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office in Armenia, said that organizing such an international conference in Armenia testifies to the country’s leading role and draws particular attention to nursing, which is one of the largest professional fields in the global healthcare system.
“Nursing is not simply a profession. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nursing is of key importance both in Armenia and around the world.
“Globally, nurses account for 29 million of the 65-million-strong healthcare workforce. This means that universal health coverage or health services cannot function without nurses as their main pillar. In Armenia, too, nurses account for 53% of healthcare professionals. It should be remembered that the quality of care provided by you and doctors is interconnected. In this equation, no one is more or less important than the others,” Datta said.
He said that according to the International Council of Nurses, investment in nursing employment in low- and middle-income countries exceeds the government’s initial investment, generating a return ten times greater than that investment.
“I am confident that Armenia will also achieve such results as it moves toward the future. As we know, and as the international delegates present here know, Armenia has taken a bold step: earlier this year, under the leadership of the minister, the process of introducing universal health insurance began.
“We believe that nurses, nursing professionals and midwives will play an essential role not only in implementing the health insurance system, but also in ensuring universal access to healthcare services,” the WHO Country Office head in Armenia said.
He said the WHO attaches importance to several key aspects related to nursing as a profession. Accordingly, policymakers make investments, while those responsible for the sector work together to build the workforce base.
“We optimize workforce efficiency and carry out planning. These are the principles of the WHO’s framework for the health workforce, which was developed jointly with Member States. I am glad that over the next two days you will discuss some of these aspects.
“The WHO highly values its cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Armenia aimed at developing an analysis of the health workforce market, one of whose important components will be nursing. However, the issue is not only about assessing the situation; the Ministry of Health is taking steps to understand the existing needs and the necessary professional capacities.
“You have already heard from the minister how they envision the further course of the process. From the WHO’s perspective, we need better-quality data for decision-making, and this is precisely the approach adopted by Armenia and the other WHO Member States in the European Region,” Datta said.
He assured that the WHO is ready to cooperate with everyone to share the factual data, information and best practices it has. According to Datta, strengthening nursing and midwifery is not merely a workforce issue.
“It is an issue of strengthening the healthcare system and a priority for ensuring the quality of healthcare services. Please keep this in mind as you discuss all the topics over the next two days.
“After that, I will join Minister Avanesyan in the process of rethinking the health workforce, also involving nurses. Who could know better than nurses themselves what they want the future to look like, both in Armenia and around the world?” the WHO Country Office head in Armenia concluded.
Sharon M. Weinstein, President of the Global Education Development Institute, said that education, and nursing education in particular, is much more than simply acquiring knowledge. What matters is how that knowledge is applied.
She said the institute is committed to continuing the path of leadership in nursing that began with the work of the International Nursing Leadership Institute.
“When you empower nurses, you empower communities and the healthcare system as a whole. This belief has been at the heart of our work for years.
“Education opens doors to new opportunities. Leadership creates opportunities, while collaboration allows us to achieve more than we could on our own.
“So, as we begin this two-day event, I encourage you to be curious. Ask your colleagues questions, share your experience and listen to perspectives that may differ from your own. But most importantly, try to think differently about what is possible, because conversations, ideas and new connections can be the beginning of something very great and significant,” Weinstein said.
In her view, there are moments when education and leadership come together to create something that goes beyond the walls of the classroom.
“There are moments when a vision becomes reality. And there are moments when the drive to be first truly matters, symbolizing the power of vision, leadership, education, nursing and collaboration.
“Thank you for investing in your personal growth and in the future of nursing,” Weinstein concluded.