NWU promotes Nursing in Africa

POTCHEFSTROOM - The School of Nursing on the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU), in cooperation with the University of Malawi, recently organised the seventh annual conference of the Tau Lambda-at-Large Chapter - Delivering Evidence-Based Nursing and Midwifery in Africa - in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Tau Lambda is part of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) and is the largest honour society of nursing. Members of the organisation are invited to accept membership and include the top 30 percent of top achievers as well as leaders in nursing science.

During the conference Prof Sebi Lekalakala-Mokgele was elected Vice-President (2007-2009). Prof Hester Klopper, Director of the School, has been serving as secretariat treasurer of Tau Lambda since 2005.

Tau Lambda shares STTI’s vision of promoting leadership and the scientific character in practice, teaching and research. One of the chief outcomes of the conference was the Malawi Declaration which suggests an implementation strategy to retain nurses and midwifes in Africa and the development of nursing staff to deliver professional care to communities.

The following Tau Lambda conference is scheduled to take place in July 2008, in Eldoret, Kenya.

From left to right are Prof Judy Bruce (elected President of Wits), Ms Marjorie Ngaunje (Minister of Health of Malawi), Prof Hester Klopper (NWU) and Dr Naomi Seboni (President of the University of Botswana).