Angela Hillery joins Ugandan Nurse and Midwife celebration
Saturday 13 July saw members and friends of the Ugandan Nurses and Midwives Association come to celebrate a year of activities together at the Northampton County Cricket Club. Traditionally, the annual dinner and dance celebration event is held in different locations across the country, and this year Northamptonshire Cricket Club was chosen as the venue.
Mr Joe Lutwama, Clinical Team Leader at NHFT, is also Chairman of the organising group for this event, which was attended by many dignitaries and over 300 guests. NHFT and LPT Chief Executive, Angela Hillery was invited to attend along with other keynote speakers, including Mr James Saunders, the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, Mr John Mugerwa, the Deputy Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda to the United Kingdom, and Ms Agnes Baku, the Chief Nursing Officer of Uganda,.
Angela opened her speech by celebrating the shared values of the Ugandan Nurses and Midwives Association, and those of NHFT. She spoke of the successes of our international nursing recruitment programme, and of the diversity and experience that our international nurses have bought to our teams and communities, as she told the individual stories of Maria and Etale, who were our first and 50th international nurses.
Ms Agnes Baku emphasised the role of collaborative efforts between the many healthcare professionals, and healthcare institutions including the Ministry of Health in Uganda, working together to bring back much needed skills, for example training in soft skills and helping local healthcare providers in Uganda to develop specialist pathways.
The Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire emphasised the importance of collaboration, community and belonging. Mr Saunders reminded guests of the significant role healthcare professionals play in the delivery of health activities and planning within the great Institution of the NHS, and that it is important for all Nurses, Midwives and Doctors to regularly make time to socialise and take time to look after themselves.
As an association, Mrs Odwongo shared that it is important for members to be known in their local communities and encouraged those in attendance to make efforts to engage in timetabled association activities across the year, for example, the monthly association educational learning series where various topics are covered by internal and external speakers.
Photo: L-R: Justine Odwongo (President of Ugandan nurses association, Moses Mulimira (THET representative) Jean Gideon (Treasurer), Ambassador Mugerwa, The Lord Lieutenant James Saunders, CNO Uganda Mrs Agnes Baku, CEO NHFT and LPT Angela Hillery, Tim Mugerwa (Vice president), Joe Lutwama (Chair organising committee)