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More Nurses Needed
to Manage Swine Flu

School health departments last week submitted details on the number of nurses and equipment required by each school to the Ministry of Health (MoH) on an urgent basis.

Shortage of nurses is an international issue and the UAE is no exception, say health officials. However, since the role of nurses is crucial in managing A(H1N1) at school levels, the need for 1 nurse: 1 school gains more importance.

At present, Sharjah alone needs 50 more nurses to equalise the ratio. “Though there is always a need for nurses, the present situation requires that we at least have one nurse for each school,” said Dr Amna Olwan, Head of the School Health Department in the Sharjah Medical District, Ministry 
of Health.

“Until we are completely staffed, the nurses will be assisted by at least five teachers to monitor the children,” 
she said.

She said that the gap had come about since new schools were rapidly opened in the emirate.

“The school needs could not be fulfilled due to the supply not being able to meet the demand, but the situation is different now. We need nurses on an urgent basis,” she added.

Though the exact numbers of nurses required by each emirate were not available, Dr Mariam Matroushi, Head of School Health Department at the MoH confirmed that all the emirates had submitted their requirements.

Though the ministry has promised to take action to bridge the manpower shortage, provision of equipment such as masks, gloves, detergent and hand washes to each school was 
done immediately.

Each school was provided with 1,000 pieces of essential equipment. The ministry has also decided to provide petty cash to each school to buy equipment if required.

Currently, a few schools in Sharjah are sharing nurses.

“In some cases we have one nurse managing two schools which means that one nurse visits each school for 2-3 days,” explained Dr Najla Sajwani, Deputy Director of the Primary Healthcare in Sharjah.

However, the ministry last week redistributed the placement of nurses in the emirate to ensure that all primary schools had at least one nurse.

“The secondary school children can report their condition but younger children need more monitoring,” said Dr Najla.

Dr Olwan also said that a proposal to separate the examination requirements for school nurses had also been submitted to the ministry.

“We have asked them to consider separating the examination requirements for hospital and school nurses,” said Dr Olwan, adding that school nurses need only basic medical knowledge.

Dr Ali bin Shukr, Director-General of MoH and chairman of the technical Health Committee to Combat Swine Flu told a radio station in Ras Al Khaimah that the ministry was taking the required steps to recruit more nurses as well as giving intensive training to manage A(H1N1) in schools.

However, the nurse shortage is a matter of concern for government 
schools only.

Private schools cannot be issued a licence to operate until they have hired a doctor/nurse.

“Schools with more than 1,500 students can also have two nurses or doctors,” she said.

“Actually private schools are following rules perfectly and they have assigned good staff,” she added.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.ae

• UAE