Health Ministry to speed up efforts to meet MDGs

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 05/11/2011

The Health Ministry plans to launch a national campaign on Thursday in efforts to accelerate the attainment of the Millenium Development Goals, in connection with International Nurses Day.

The ministry and Association of Indonesian Nurse Academies is scheduled to sign a declaration on the prevention of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and malnutrition.

"Nurses have been actively participating in efforts to meet the MDGs over the past few years. 

However, the ministry has yet to make [such efforts] a national movement. With this declaration, we hope we can intensify [participation in] the cause,” event coordinator Prayetni said here on Wednesday.

Prayetni added that her office would also hold a national workshop for nurses.

"We expect two things from this workshop. First, we want to draw up a roadmap on the contributions nurses make to national health services. Second, we want to look for strategies to improve nurses' [qualifications] to meet global nursing standards," she said. (lfr)