The Duchess of Cambridge will today join nurses and other health
leaders across the world in launching a global campaign aimed at raising the
profile and status of nursing. The campaign recognises that nurses are at the
heart of countries’ efforts to provide health for all. As one of the most trusted
professions, nurses provide effective and quality care for people of all ages and
are central in addressing the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases
such as cancer and heart disease.

Speaking at the launch event at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, The Duchess will
join the World Health Organization’s Chief Nursing Officer, the President of the
International Council of Nurses, health leaders and nurses from countries around the world calling on governments, health professionals and service users to value nurses and champion their leadership in providing the best quality of care.
The three-year global campaign is being run as a programme of the Burdett Trust
for Nursing, in collaboration with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and
the World Health Organization (WHO). The London event is being linked up with
a launch event in Geneva, Switzerland, hosted by the Hôpitaux Universitaires de
Genève (the Geneva University Hospitals), in the presence of WHO Director-
General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and global nursing advocate,

Princess Muna Al-Hussein of Jordan and senior ICN Executives and Board. The
campaign will also be launched in countries including South Africa, Uganda and
the United States of America.
Nurses are the lynchpin of health teams, playing a crucial role in health
promotion, disease prevention, treatment and care. The WHO estimates that
nurses and midwives represent nearly one-half of the total number of health
workers around the world. However, for all countries to reach Sustainable
Development Goal 3 of health and well-being for all at all ages, WHO estimates
that the world will need an additional 9 million nurses and midwives by 2030.
These additional jobs represent a global opportunity for investment in health
workers. The job benefits will be particularly beneficial for women and young
people as demonstrated by the report of the UN Secretary-General’s High Level
Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth.
Nursing Now Co-Chair Professor Sheila Tlou said: “The Nursing Now campaign
is about supporting nurses to lead, to learn and to strengthen the profession. We
will equip them through training, support and the development of political
leadership skills to take their rightful place at the table when decisions are being
taken about the future shape of healthcare in their countries.”
Annette Kennedy, President of the ICN said: “The International Council of Nurses
is proud to be part of Nursing Now. Through our 133 national nursing
associations, we know of the great work nurses are doing to deliver care and
improve health, but we also know how tough their working lives can be. Nurses
are the answer but we need real investment and support.”
ICN will today release a report and set of resources for nurses to use under the
theme “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health is a Human Right.” This International
Nurses Day report, being launched early, is one way in which ICN brings nursing
solutions from around the world to the global policy table.
Elizabeth Iro, WHO’s Chief Nursing Officer, said: “Health workers are the DNA of
health systems. They are a Ministry of Health’s biggest asset. Nurses and
midwives represent the largest share of health workers and provide care for our
families and our communities when we need them most. WHO is delighted to
collaborate on the campaign to support nurses and midwives around the world in assisting their countries to achieve Universal Health Coverage.”
Nursing Now was founded by nurses and other health experts based on the
findings of the 2016 Triple Impact report produced by the UK’s All Party
Parliamentary Group on Global Health Co-Chaired by Lord Nigel Crisp who is
also Co-Chair of the Nursing Now board. The report concluded that
strengthening nursing globally would have a triple impact of improving health,
improving gender equality by empowering women and building stronger
economies. Universal Health Coverage will not be achieved unless nursing is
strengthened.