Gaborone, Botswana - 12 November 2020: The Seventy-second World Health Assembly designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife not only to honour the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, but also to recognize the daily contributions of nurses and midwives to the health and well-being of populations across the globe. Unfortunately, this noble gesture and celebration has been sadly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We however still want to appreciate them, even more, despite and because of COVID-19.

Nurses and midwifes continue to be the core of health service delivery despite the toll COVID-19 and other challenges have taken on them. They brave safety and security issues to and at work, gracefully endure the hardships of challenging working conditions and environments and still manage to provide service with a smile and humane touch. Many of them, regardless of social and personal scars visited upon them by COVID-19. Among them, women who suffered Gender-Based Violence sparked or exacerbated by COVID-19.

In Botswana nurses and midwives took an oath to fight COVID-19 and put their lives on the line to provide quality and humane care to all in Botswana. They lit the Florence Nightingale lamp and re-committed themselves to the Nursing Pledge as part of the launch of the Year of the Nurse and Midwife. They went on to take their role at the core of health service provision where they continue to be at risk and risking their families’ health for the greater good. We salute them and thank them for their fortitude, generosity of heart and selflessness. We pray for their preservation and perseverance.