Support nurses and midwives to strengthen healthcare systems

CITATION: Fields B, Sibanda B, Couper I. Support nurses and midwives to strengthen healthcare systems. Rural and Remote Health 20: 6110.doi.10.22605/RRH6110The original publication is available at: .rrh.org.auNurses and midwives make up more than half of the global health workforce1. WHO has designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife2 to recognize their contribution, and to highlight the challenges they face in meeting the needs of the communities they serve. Both the International Council of Nurses’ International Nurses Day3 and the first State of the World’s Nursing report4, recently launched by the International Council of Nurses and WHO respectively, highlight the crucial role played by nurses and midwives in health promotion, disease prevention and treatment. Their role is even more important in Africa, and in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in other regions, where nurses are often the only health professionals accessible to rural and remote communities.Publisher’s versio