Nursing Union demands for safer theatres in the Zambia

The Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation (ZUNO) says the union is committed to continue engaging various key stakeholders to ensure that theatres in hospitals are safe for patients.

ZUNO President Liseli Sitali has since called on theatre staff, hospital management, political leaders and the media among other institutions in the country to continue advocating for safer surgery.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Sitali said this in Lusaka today at the Closing Reports and Dissemination Meeting of the “Safer Surgery Saves Lives” phase one pilot project.

The Safer Surgery Saves Lives” phase one pilot project which was launched in April 2015 was piloted at the Kabwe General Hospital, University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and the Kabwe Mine Hospital theaters.

The project is a partnership between ZUNO and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) of the United Kingdom (UK) and was funded by the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) under the United Kingdom Department for International Development.

The “Safer Surgery Saves Lives” phase one pilot project 2015 was aimed at improving the knowledge and skills of theater teams in World Health Organization (WHO) surgical checklist 19 item tool in their work.

And Mr. Sitali said the “Safer Surgery Saves Lives” phase one pilot project has helped strengthen nursing leadership influence in operating theaters at the three hospital theaters.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sitali disclosed that the “Safer Surgery Saves Lives” second phase pilot project will commence on 1st April 2017.
Mr. Sitali disclosed the Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital and Four First Level Hospitals under the Lusaka District Heath Management Board (LDHMB) have been included in the second phase of the project.

– Lusaka Times