Local Nurses To Benefit From MOU With Taiwan

The Saint Lucia Nurses Association (SLNA) and the Taiwan Nurses Association, this week, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will provide countless opportunities for nurses to grow in their field, ultimately benefiting both parties.

The MOU will enhance the partnership between both associations in the areas of nursing education, professional training, academic material and technical expertise, according to Alicia Baptiste, President of the SLNA.

Stating that the “journey began in 2019 when I visited Taiwan and met with then President of Taiwan Nurses Association”, Baptiste explained that continuous discussion with the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) led to the momentous occasion.

“The Saint Lucia Nurses Association is indeed thankful for this collaboration and looks forward to a beneficial relationship, benefiting our nurses and by extension the people of Saint Lucia,” Baptiste said at a signing ceremony, noting that the two associations were signing a memorandum of understanding for the first time.

Minister for Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs, Moses Jn Baptiste, who was also present at the ceremony, said the collaboration will undoubtedly benefit participants and described it as a tremendous opportunity for nurses.

Asserting that the initiative will lead to job satisfaction, Jn Baptiste stated that training for nurses is crucial and “this memorandum of understanding will allow us to share and exchange information, academic material (and) all of the technical expertise. It also allows us to have opportunities for both parties to gain experience from each other’s work.”

“I wish to say that the need for continuous training for our nurses is important and critical at this time; this region as with many other regions continue to experience what we refer to as brain drain; an exodus of our very qualified nurses for better opportunities for themselves and their families,” the minister added, stating that more pressure is placed on the health care system as a result.

Further, he explained, if nurses receive more training, this will lead to even more success, and hopefully, he stated, they will remain in the field.

Jn Baptiste revealed that government will begin its process towards universal health coverage later this year. According to him, strengthening the health care system is critical at this point.

“We are going to activate and we are going to ensure that we implement a specific set of activities starting this year to ensure that we begin the process towards universal health coverage. We are committed to promoting health for all (and) we are also focused on measurable activities which will lead us to the process of universal health coverage and to ensure that the partnership which exists between the people and government of Taiwan and Saint Lucia continues for the benefit of both populations,” Jn Baptiste stated.

He added: “this pandemic taught us that all of our economic models, all of the theories of economic growth will certainly fall flat if we have any slight universal problem with health care. It demonstrates to us our need to strengthen our primary health care systems and our need to make our health care systems more resilient.”

Taiwanese Ambassador to Saint Lucia His Excellency Peter Chen, in his remarks at the event, said it was an honour to witness the signing of the memorandum of understanding. He said that a substantial amount of cooperation between the two nurses’ associations had already been achieved prior to the ceremony.

“Two Saint Lucian nurses will leave for Taiwan in July this year to attend a leadership for change programme sponsored by Taiwan Nurses Association … (it) will equip them with special knowledge (on) how to improve practices in the Saint Lucia health care sector. All of this is happening because both countries recognise the important role that good health care plays in shaping society,” Ambassador Chen said.

He explained that the two countries have a great relationship saying “just less than two weeks ago 10,000 doses of Astra Zenica vaccines were handed over to the Government of Saint Lucia from Taiwan … a clear demonstration (of the) cooperation and friendship between Taiwan and Saint Lucia.”