(Bandar Seri Begawan, 12th) Every year, May 12 is International Nurses Day (IND), and May 5 is International Day of the Midwife (IDM).
In Brunei, International Nurses Day and International Day of the Midwife are combined and celebrated on May 12, designated as International Nursing and Midwives Day (INMD).
In conjunction with the INMD festivities, Minister of Health Dato Isham issued a statement.
This year’s INMD theme is “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowering Nurses, Saving Lives” and “Midwives: 1 Million More”.
According to the Minister of Health, this year’s Nurses Day theme, provided by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), is “Our Nurses. Our Future.” “Empowering Nurses, Saving Lives” emphasizes the importance of empowering nurses through providing safe work environments, full professional autonomy, leadership opportunities, professional support, and fair compensation.
The Minister stated that all these aspects highlight the crucial role of nurses in saving lives, sustaining health systems, protecting communities, and improving global health outcomes.
Meanwhile, the Minister shared that this year’s International Day of the Midwife theme is “Midwives: 1 Million More”, calling for urgent investment into midwifery education, employment, regulation and leadership development to address the global midwife shortage.
The Minister noted this call aims to meet 90% of sexual and reproductive health needs and address the current gap of 1.9 million midwives.
“Midwives’ responsibilities include providing essential antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care, including contraception, abortion care, breastfeeding support, and ongoing health services.”
Therefore, increasing the midwifery workforce is vital to safeguarding maternal and child health, as well as strengthening global health systems.
The Minister stated that at present, due to rising healthcare demands, conflicts and climate change, the world is facing a critical shortage of nurses.
The Minister said that policymakers and stakeholders need to take decisive action to build a strong and sustainable nursing and midwifery workforce, and improve their welfare through a safe, fair, supportive, and properly recognized working environment.
Sharing at the National Maternal and Infant Development Conference, the Minister stated that a number of important initiatives have been implemented or are underway, including strengthening the qualifications and skills of nurses and midwives, as well as enhancing quality and safety.
The Minister said strengthening nurses’ and midwives’ qualifications and skills covers multiple aspects. Brunei has established several institutions offering nursing and midwifery courses, including the Institute of Technical Education, Politeknik Brunei, Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Brunei University, and the Jerudong Park Medical Centre Health Sciences Institute.
These courses cover certificate, diploma and degree levels. Nursing and midwifery professions welcome graduates to join and continue to lead the development of these fields. To attract more graduates to the sector, the government is upgrading and updating nursing services programs, offering more attractive positions and salary packages, and launching certificate or diploma advanced courses in specialist fields such as intensive care, psychiatry, nephrology, emergency, surgery, pediatrics, and cardiology.
“The deployment of qualified and skilled nurses has also been arranged according to the service needs of hospitals and health centers,”
At the same time, regarding enhancing quality and safety, the Minister said nurses make up the largest proportion of the Ministry of Health’s workforce, about 43%, whereas doctors make up only 13%. Therefore, nurses play a vital role in ensuring medical quality and patient safety.
Nurses and midwives also play a key role in identifying and improving health issues.
This is a weak link in the healthcare system in reducing medical errors and improving service quality.
“Nurses' responsibilities cover all areas of medical services, including health maintenance organizations, public health agencies, clinics, home care, outpatient centers, mental health services, military medical centers, and Hajj medical services,”
The Minister stated that, to ensure patient safety and the effectiveness of treatment and recovery, nurses are responsible for providing continuous and reliable services, as well as playing effective leadership roles.
The Minister also plays a key role in Quality Improvement (QI) work, implementing evidence-based practices, systematic evaluations, and continuous improvements in medical services to achieve better health outcomes.
“To strengthen the culture of safety in medical services, the Ministry of Health actively conducts various education and awareness activities related to nursing quality and patient safety.”
“These activities include orientation training for new nurses and continuing education courses, to ensure that a culture of safety is promoted, strengthened, and practiced in all aspects of medical services,”
The Minister emphasized that the issue of nursing and midwifery shortages needs to be addressed through continued long-term planning, including focusing on their welfare and well-being.
The Minister of Health stressed that this is vital, as it directly affects the quality of medical services and the nation’s economic development.
“Prioritizing the welfare of nurses and midwives can improve the quality of patient care, sustain nursing and midwifery numbers, and make the national healthcare system stronger and more resilient.”
“If the welfare of nurses and midwives is neglected, it will result in increased absenteeism, greater stress, and more workplace errors, ultimately increasing the burden on the national healthcare system,”
The theme of National Nurses and Midwives Day celebrations also highlights the importance of valuing, supporting, and investing in nursing and midwifery. They are not just healthcare workers, but a key force in national development and community well-being.
The Minister said that, in the context of National Day, caring for nurses is not just an issue for the health sector, but a national priority, aligning with Brunei’s Vision 2035 goals of cultivating a well-educated, highly skilled, and successful workforce.
Finally, on the occasion of the 2026 National Nurses and Midwives Day, I urge all nurses and midwives nationwide to persevere, bravely face challenges, always put patient needs first, and fulfill your duties with a strong spirit of professionalism.
“Every effort you make is of great significance to community well-being. Please continue to serve sincerely, resiliently, and wholeheartedly, for you are the backbone of the national healthcare system. Through your dedication and continued efforts, the nursing and midwifery medical system will continue to grow stronger, more sustainable, more resilient, and of higher quality, which aligns with the theme of this year’s celebrations.”
In Brunei, International Nurses Day and International Day of the Midwife are combined and celebrated on May 12, designated as International Nursing and Midwives Day (INMD).
In conjunction with the INMD festivities, Minister of Health Dato Isham issued a statement.
This year’s INMD theme is “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowering Nurses, Saving Lives” and “Midwives: 1 Million More”.
According to the Minister of Health, this year’s Nurses Day theme, provided by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), is “Our Nurses. Our Future.” “Empowering Nurses, Saving Lives” emphasizes the importance of empowering nurses through providing safe work environments, full professional autonomy, leadership opportunities, professional support, and fair compensation.
The Minister stated that all these aspects highlight the crucial role of nurses in saving lives, sustaining health systems, protecting communities, and improving global health outcomes.
Meanwhile, the Minister shared that this year’s International Day of the Midwife theme is “Midwives: 1 Million More”, calling for urgent investment into midwifery education, employment, regulation and leadership development to address the global midwife shortage.
The Minister noted this call aims to meet 90% of sexual and reproductive health needs and address the current gap of 1.9 million midwives.
“Midwives’ responsibilities include providing essential antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care, including contraception, abortion care, breastfeeding support, and ongoing health services.”
Therefore, increasing the midwifery workforce is vital to safeguarding maternal and child health, as well as strengthening global health systems.
The Minister stated that at present, due to rising healthcare demands, conflicts and climate change, the world is facing a critical shortage of nurses.
The Minister said that policymakers and stakeholders need to take decisive action to build a strong and sustainable nursing and midwifery workforce, and improve their welfare through a safe, fair, supportive, and properly recognized working environment.
Sharing at the National Maternal and Infant Development Conference, the Minister stated that a number of important initiatives have been implemented or are underway, including strengthening the qualifications and skills of nurses and midwives, as well as enhancing quality and safety.
The Minister said strengthening nurses’ and midwives’ qualifications and skills covers multiple aspects. Brunei has established several institutions offering nursing and midwifery courses, including the Institute of Technical Education, Politeknik Brunei, Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences, Brunei University, and the Jerudong Park Medical Centre Health Sciences Institute.
These courses cover certificate, diploma and degree levels. Nursing and midwifery professions welcome graduates to join and continue to lead the development of these fields. To attract more graduates to the sector, the government is upgrading and updating nursing services programs, offering more attractive positions and salary packages, and launching certificate or diploma advanced courses in specialist fields such as intensive care, psychiatry, nephrology, emergency, surgery, pediatrics, and cardiology.
“The deployment of qualified and skilled nurses has also been arranged according to the service needs of hospitals and health centers,”
At the same time, regarding enhancing quality and safety, the Minister said nurses make up the largest proportion of the Ministry of Health’s workforce, about 43%, whereas doctors make up only 13%. Therefore, nurses play a vital role in ensuring medical quality and patient safety.
Nurses and midwives also play a key role in identifying and improving health issues.
This is a weak link in the healthcare system in reducing medical errors and improving service quality.
“Nurses' responsibilities cover all areas of medical services, including health maintenance organizations, public health agencies, clinics, home care, outpatient centers, mental health services, military medical centers, and Hajj medical services,”
The Minister stated that, to ensure patient safety and the effectiveness of treatment and recovery, nurses are responsible for providing continuous and reliable services, as well as playing effective leadership roles.
The Minister also plays a key role in Quality Improvement (QI) work, implementing evidence-based practices, systematic evaluations, and continuous improvements in medical services to achieve better health outcomes.
“To strengthen the culture of safety in medical services, the Ministry of Health actively conducts various education and awareness activities related to nursing quality and patient safety.”
“These activities include orientation training for new nurses and continuing education courses, to ensure that a culture of safety is promoted, strengthened, and practiced in all aspects of medical services,”
The Minister emphasized that the issue of nursing and midwifery shortages needs to be addressed through continued long-term planning, including focusing on their welfare and well-being.
The Minister of Health stressed that this is vital, as it directly affects the quality of medical services and the nation’s economic development.
“Prioritizing the welfare of nurses and midwives can improve the quality of patient care, sustain nursing and midwifery numbers, and make the national healthcare system stronger and more resilient.”
“If the welfare of nurses and midwives is neglected, it will result in increased absenteeism, greater stress, and more workplace errors, ultimately increasing the burden on the national healthcare system,”
The theme of National Nurses and Midwives Day celebrations also highlights the importance of valuing, supporting, and investing in nursing and midwifery. They are not just healthcare workers, but a key force in national development and community well-being.
The Minister said that, in the context of National Day, caring for nurses is not just an issue for the health sector, but a national priority, aligning with Brunei’s Vision 2035 goals of cultivating a well-educated, highly skilled, and successful workforce.
Finally, on the occasion of the 2026 National Nurses and Midwives Day, I urge all nurses and midwives nationwide to persevere, bravely face challenges, always put patient needs first, and fulfill your duties with a strong spirit of professionalism.
“Every effort you make is of great significance to community well-being. Please continue to serve sincerely, resiliently, and wholeheartedly, for you are the backbone of the national healthcare system. Through your dedication and continued efforts, the nursing and midwifery medical system will continue to grow stronger, more sustainable, more resilient, and of higher quality, which aligns with the theme of this year’s celebrations.”