TWNA Hosts International Nurses Day 2024 Celebration
Taiwan Nurses Association (TWNA) hosted the International Nurses Day (IND) 2024 celebration on May 9, supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), themed as "Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care.” More than 1,600 nurses joined the event.
The IND Celebration was chaired by TWNA President, Dr. Mei-Nan Liao, who emphasized in her speech that " Nurses are the key to healthier communities. We deserve to be respected, valued, protected, and invested.” Dr. Liao urged the government and institutions to invite and appoint more nurse leaders to executive positions of all health care organizations and government policy table.
The event garnered special significance with the attendance of our Nation’s President, Dr. Ing-wen Tsai. Despite her busy schedule, she showed her full support and join the Candle-lighting Passing Ceremony, gracing this special moment with her presence. In her speech, Nation’s President Tsai pointed out that since March 1, a new system of "three-shift nurse-patient ratio" has been officially launched, accompanied by the rewards for night-shift nurses and hospitals which meet the standards of ratio. To well equipped with sufficient nursing workforce, government has set 12 policies with related action plans to support a healthy working environment for nurses. It will allocate NT$11.5 billion (approx. US$0.35 billion) to continue investment in nursing education, employment, leadership, and retention in next 4 years.
Distinguished guests including Dr. Chien-Jen Chen, Premier of the Executive Yuan, Mr. Daniel K.Y. Han, President of Legislative Yuan, Dr. Shu-Hsiang Hsu, Minister from the Ministry of Examination, and Dr. Pi-Sheng Wang, Deputy Minister from MOHW, graced the occasion with their presence and voiced their unwavering support for the nursing profession. The event also witnessed the participation of high-level officials and dignitaries from various government bodies, demonstrating solidarity with TWNA, including Dr. Hsiu-Hung Wang, Commissioner (nursing background) from the Examination Yuan, Dr. Shwu-Feng Tsay, Director-General (Chief Nursing Officer) from MOHW, Mr. Andy Kang-I Chen, Director General of the Department of NGO International Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOHW), Dr. Lian-Hua Huang, ICN 3rd Vice President, and Ms. Ching-Chiu Kao, National Policy Advisor to the President (nursing background).
