Victoria — As Seychelles marked International Nurses Day on May 12, official tributes poured in recognizing the dedication and sacrifice of the country’s healthcare workforce, though the celebrations came against a backdrop of persistent staffing pressures, long hours, and a system still recovering from years of strain.
President Patrick Herminie, in his message, described nurses as standing “at the very heart of our nation’s wellbeing,” acknowledging that their work often extended beyond medical care to offer dignity, reassurance, and humanity during vulnerable moments.
“Few moments in life leave as lasting an impression on us as the care and compassion shown by a nurse during times of fear, uncertainty or pain,” Herminie said. “Many of us can recall a moment when a nurse offered not only medical care, but also comfort, reassurance and hope to ourselves or to someone we deeply love.”
The president noted that the nursing profession continues to evolve, with nurses now needed across every sector of national life — not only in the health system, but also in education, sports, the military, and the social sector. He highlighted their essential role in addressing non-communicable diseases, mental health, addiction, child protection, disability care, and elderly support.
Herminie said his government was doing “everything possible” to build on progress, citing the investment in Seychelles’ new hospital as providing a better work environment and improved conditions for nurses, alongside expanded access to continuous training.
Health Minister Marvin Fanny echoed similar themes, emphasizing that “the strength of any healthcare system depends greatly on the strength, wellbeing, and empowerment of its nurses.”
Fanny expressed appreciation to every nurse across hospitals, health centres, community services, schools, and specialized units, describing their professionalism, resilience, and compassion as inspiring confidence in the health system.
Within the government’s “New Era of Care” reform agenda, Fanny said the administration remained committed to supporting and empowering nurses through improved training opportunities, professional development, better working environments, staff welfare initiatives, and stronger systems.
“Empowered nurses not only save lives — they strengthen families, communities, and the future of our nation,” Fanny said.
Amid the official celebrations, one nurse’s personal story stood out. Francisca Laurence, a 45-year-old married mother of three from Belvedere, has spent more than two decades in the profession, despite stepping away twice — each time finding her way back to hospital corridors and the white uniform she deeply missed.
Her journey began in 1999 when she joined Seychelles’ first paramedic course after completing foundation studies. Graduating in 2003 with training in surgical, medical, and community nursing, she initially embraced motherhood before starting her career at Glacis Health Centre. Soon, her love for bedside nursing led her to Victoria Hospital’s Hermitte Ward, where she built confidence and experience under the guidance of senior nurses.
In 2006, she briefly left nursing to pursue teaching, but quickly realized her heart remained in healthcare. “I started missing nursing and wearing my white uniform. Seeing one of my ex-colleagues wearing hers would bring tears to my eyes,” she recalled.
Determined to return, she persistently requested reinstatement until she was transferred back to the Ministry of Health later that year. Though initially posted to Accident and Emergency, she embraced the challenge and gained valuable new experiences before returning to Hermitte Ward in 2010.
After stepping away again in 2015 to focus on family life and business, she resumed part-time nursing in 2018 and continues serving today.
Reflecting on her journey, Laurence said it was during her early paramedic training that she discovered her true calling: “Watching nurses in action in casualty, giving injections and doing dressings, that was when I realized nursing is my true calling.”
Former President Wavel Ramkalawan also issued a statement marking International Nurses Day, though his message carried a different tone — one that acknowledged systemic challenges more directly.
“For too long, the demands placed upon our nurses have not always been matched by the conditions they deserve,” Ramkalawan wrote. “Long hours, staffing pressures, and the emotional toll of the profession are realities that cannot be ignored. If we are to speak of valuing our nurses, then that value must be demonstrated not only in words, but in policy, in investment, and in meaningful action.”
Ramkalawan stressed that “a nation that truly cares for its people must first care for those who care for everyone else,” urging renewed commitment not only to celebrate nurses, but to stand with them, support them, and ensure their future is one of dignity, strength, and shared progress.
The contrasting messages — one celebratory and forward-looking, the other more reflective and critical — captured the ongoing political tension in the country, even as both sides agreed on the fundamental importance of the nursing profession.
Whether the government’s promised investments will translate into tangible improvements in working conditions, or whether the challenges facing nurses will continue to be acknowledged mainly in annual tributes, remains an open question. For now, nurses like Francisca Laurence continue to serve, driven by a calling that has repeatedly pulled them back to the bedside, regardless of the systemic pressures they face.
