Oman Nursing Association joins International Council of Nurses

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) today announced the acceptance of the Oman Nursing Association into membership.

ICN President Annette Kennedy said, “I am delighted to welcome the Oman Nursing Association to the ICN family. For over 120 years, ICN has given nurses a global voice. This work is critically important now we are facing a global pandemic. We are proud to add ONA to the richness and diversity of our membership, especially during these challenging times when we are advocating for the protection, prioritization and fair compensation of nurses working at the frontlines of healthcare.”

Mr. Abdallah bin Ahmed AlRubaiey, President of the Oman Nursing Association (ONA) said, "We at Oman Nursing Association and all nurses in Oman are tremendously excited to be admitted to the membership of ICN, the organisation which has proved itself as the global platform to gather and empower the global nurse community. Being a member of this leading organisation, ONA will put all of its efforts in working towards advancing nursing, nurses and health care for all. The nurses in Oman and across the world are at the forefront of this extremely difficult time of dealing with COVID-19 outbreak. We have seen evidence of nurses’ and other healthcare staff’s diligence and unwavering dedication in response to the coronavirus, the crisis of which has surpassed all sense of realism expected of 2020. The International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife dedicated by WHO to nurses and midwives has thus in the process provided a once in a generation opportunity to showcase their dedicated work.

‘Indeed, the nursing, midwifery and other healthcare professionals have been central in facing and tackling this scourge of infection and in doing so have reinforced the much-desired unity of purpose in fighting this common enemy of humanity! While we are celebrating this special occasion in this month of November, Oman is also celebrating the 50th renaissance of superb development in various areas, such as the tremendous growth and improvement of the healthcare system in the last 50 years. During this period several steps have been taken to encourage Omanis to become nurses. Nursing and other health related education was established in their own Governorates, free of charge, at the institute and college level and students have been provided with monthly monetary incentives. Notwithstanding such incentives, work is more or less guaranteed for all students who graduate from these MOH institutes. Moreover, several private and public programmes are now also established in the Sultanate and open to give Omanis the opportunity to start a professional career in nursing and in many cases with provisions for scholarships by the government. In conclusion, ONA is looking forward to working hand in hand with ICN towards advancing nursing, nurses and health care for all.”

Howard Catton, ICN Chief Executive Officer said, “In 2020, the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, when the world is facing a devastating pandemic, we are delighted to be strengthening the voice of nursing across the globe. By joining ICN, the Oman Nursing Association is helping to ensure nurses in their country have a say in how health policy is developed and implemented. By giving nurses that power, we are helping to save lives.”

ONA, the only association for nurses in the country, was established in 2017. With the addition of ONA, ICN has 10 member associations from the Middle East including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this year, ICN also welcomed two new members, the Somaliland Nursing and Midwifery Association and the South Sudan Nurses and Midwives Association. ICN welcomes the new associations to its federation of over 130 national nursing associations across the globe.

Download the press release here