Nurse of the Year savours fruits of her hard work

By Augustine Oduor

Fatuma Mohamed rose in excitement when Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno declared her the country’s Nurse of the Year.

It was a surprising, but fitting reward for her 12 years of dedicated service in the harsh North Eastern Province.

She had earlier been named one of the 96 winners in the districts category and went ahead to emerge the best nurse in her province, but nothing prepared her for the overall award.

As the eight provincial winners sat in the packed hall, their hearts pounding with ecstasy, Fatuma least expected she would be the winner

Then her feet went numb and her heart raced, as the reality dawned that she had bagged the Nurse of the Year Award.

"As the minister edged closer to me, tears of joy rolled down my cheeks. I thought it was a dream when he declared me the winner," says Fatuma. The winner’s name had been placed in an envelope, and the minister matched it with that in the certificate earlier issued to all the nominees. St Andrews PCEA church went into a frenzy as nurses who had thronged the hall to attend the Kenya Nurses Association’s 52nd Annual General Meeting ruptured into song and dance to celebrate the award.

"This came as a surprise. How could I be the best nurse when I work very far away from Nairobi? This is unimaginable," she posed.

Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno congratulates Fatuma Mohammed after she was named 'Nurse of the Year'. (PHOTO: TABITHA OTWORI/STANDARD)

The 45-year-old mother of four clinched the Johnson & Johnson sponsored award of the year, which came with a Sh100,000 scholarship.

"I have always had nursing close to my heart. I will now pursue a degree course," she said.

She said since she left the Kenya Medical Training College she has never worked beyond the borders of North Eastern province.

"My first posting was in Mandera District hospital in 1998. I worked there for two years before I was transferred to Garissa district hospital where I work today," she told The Standard.

Shortage of staff

She narrated the challenges she has faced in her quest to offer the best services to her patients in the region.

"It has never been easy. We hardly have enough resources and equipment to deliver services," she said.

Often she has had to work alone because of shortage of staff. "We are only three nurses against a huge population of patients. There is a high turnover of nurses in the region because of low pay and hardships," she said.

At times, Fatuma walks long distances under the hot sun, to attend to weak patients who cannot make it to the hospital.

"We do not have enough vehicles. But what do you do when you are supposed to provide home-based care to needy patients? Roads are poor and as a woman, it is never easy" she said.

Said Mr Otieno: "I am happy for you because this is an award you honestly deserve."

Chief nursing officer, Chris Rakuom, said a strict guideline is followed where all nurses in public health facilities are assessed to get winners at that level.