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Nurse who wheeled patient declared Ugandan nurse of the year
Ms Doris Okudinia (centre) the nurse whose picture went viral on social media while wheeling a patient to Arua Regional Referral hospital was awarded as the nurse of the year and given a degree scholarship during the international day of nurses. PHOTO BY KELVIN ATUHAIRE
What you need to know:
- Mr Kiplangat said Uganda government must do more to ensure that nurses are treated well like any other scientists and that during this Covid-19 crisis, their efforts must be recognised.
She went an extra length and wheeled a patient for more than three kilometres from Ediofe Health III on other outskirts of Arua town to Arua Regional Referral Hospital. The photos went viral. She was spited by the district leaders, threatened with expulsion and intimidated. The public stood by her and in equal measures responded to the district political and security leaders, defending her to the marrows.
Yesterday, Uganda Nurses and Midwives Union (UNMU) crowned her the nurse of the year. To sum it all, Daisy Foundation, an American organisation championing the development of nursing profession based in California gave her an award of excellence for her dedicated service.
Ms Doris Okudinia was among six Ugandan nurses who received awards for excellence in nursing profession. Others are; Beatrice Amuge, Commissioner, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Cecilia Adong, who has worked for the last 15 years without promotion, Anette Birungi, the treasurer of UNMU who introduced an online application for health workers and patients to interface, Mary Najumba, and Roselyn Mutonyi Nalimbwua, the Assistant Commissioner of Entebbe Regional Referral Hospital, for her leadership in treating the Covid-19 patients admitted at the hospital.
During the international nurses’ day celebrations at Mulago, Mr Justus Cherop Kiplangat, the president of UNMU said the awards recognise the good efforts the Ugandan nurses put in performing their duties. He said all those who got the awards are examples to the rest and that this motivates others to work harder.
Mr Kiplangat also said UNMU has awarded a scholarship for degree in nursing to Okudinia, in addition to the diploma programme ministry of health offered her.
Courtesy photos of Ms Doris Okudinia pushing the patient from Ediofe Health Centre to Arua Regional Referral Hospital.
“You have made us very proud and we are equally proud of you. We are aware the ministry of health offered you scholarship to study Diploma and we as the union have also awarded you a scholarship to study degree in nursing. As soon as you finish your diploma, you will proceed with your degree and that is the benefit of hard work which you have exhibited,” he said.
Mr Kiplangat said Uganda government must do more to ensure that nurses are treated well like any other scientists and that during this Covid-19 crisis, their efforts must be recognised.
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“Around the globe, people routinely recognise nursing as the most honourable profession. People instinctively trust and respect nurses and the work they do,” he said.
Ms Angelah Ilakut, the acting registrar of Uganda nurses and midwives council congratulated Ms Okudinia and all the others who got the awards and said it is a recognition of their great efforts in saving lives in the country.
