Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Seychelles (Ratification: 1993)

Article 2 of the Convention. National policy concerning nursing services and nursing personnel. The Committee notes the Government’s indications that the Nurses and Midwives Act, 1985 (Cap 150), is undergoing revision for the possible adoption of a new act. The Government also indicates that a revised Scheme of Service, which has been the product of wide consultations with the regulatory body of nurses and the national nurses association (NARS), is now being implemented. In this connection, the Government explains that a retention allowance has been considered but not adopted for budgetary reasons, and also that there is an ongoing exercise for the revision of working hours and the adoption of more flexible schedules. With respect to nurse migration, the Committee notes the Government’s estimate that an additional 60 nurses and midwives would be required to fully cover the needs of hospitals and health centres. As regards nursing education, the Committee notes that according to the National Institute for Health Sciences (NIHSS), there are several challenges in the delivery of training programmes and courses, including a shortage of quality lecturers, lack of clinical laboratories and low-performing students. In this respect, the Government indicates that the nursing curriculum for the three-year diploma is being reviewed. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide up-to-date information on any measures, programmes or initiatives aimed at addressing matters such as the quality of nursing care, human resource shortages in health care, the implementation of the revised Scheme of Service for nurses and the improvement of nursing education and training. The Committee also requests the Government to forward a copy of the Nurses and Midwives Act, 1985, once amended, as well as the new regulations on working time of nursing personnel as soon as they become available.