Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) and the Emirates Nursing Association are hosting the congress of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), from 2nd to 4th November, 2021.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has represented global nurses and been their voice since its foundation in 1899. ICN at present is representative of the interests of more than 27 million nurses worldwide. It has over 130 members, including the Emirates Nursing Association, and hosts bi-annual congress. The three-day virtual event has aim to boost the nursing profession while also encouraging and supporting the wellbeing of nurses. The Congress is expected to be one of the largest events related to nursing – attendees include delegates from over 120 countries, including 13 from the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region.

This year’s Congress of the ICN will include widespread scientific programme with key addresses from global leaders and policy makers, including Ban Ki-Moon, Former UN Secretary-General; Helen Clark, Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Co-Chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response; Princess Muna Al-Hussein of Jordan, the WHO Patron for Nursing and Midwifery in the Eastern Mediterranean Region; Lauren Underwood, Registered nurse and United States Congresswoman; and Aysha Al Mahri, President of the Emirates Nursing Association and Group Chief Nursing Officer at SEHA.

Dr. Tarek Fathey, Group CEO of SEHA, said, "Nurses are the foundation of our network and represent the largest portion of our workforce. When patients return home after receiving treatment at a healthcare facility, one of the most prominent things they remember is the care and compassion they received from nurses. This is evident when we review SEHA’s patient satisfaction survey results, with nurses often being singled out for the impact that they leave on our patients."

"I am confident that the UAE’s nurses and those from the wider region will greatly benefit from the event. It will be a showcase for everything the world’s nurses have done over the time of the pandemic, and a beacon for the future that we will live when it is finally over," Aysha Al Mahri, President of the Emirates Nursing Association and Group CNO at SEHA, commented.

Annette Kennedy, President of ICN, stated, "The ICN is delighted to be working alongside our UAE colleagues in bringing this Congress to the world’s nurses. Right around the globe, nurses have been working tirelessly to bring health and comfort to a world embattled by the COVID-19 pandemic. I know that Congress will let nurses know that they are not alone and enable them to share in the experiences of their colleagues everywhere."

WAM