While the world is still facing the challenges of the COVI1-19 pandemic outbreak, nations applied the lock down and many activities were paused. Many institutions were pressured in meeting their missions, RNMU amongst others also faced it difficult to meet some goals but the most important which is to advocate for nurses/midwives and represent them kept forward. RNMU gladly continued to advocate for nurses and midwives during the lock down the ways below
- RNMU held zoom meetings every Wednesday with the RNMU National Union Council members to discuss about the challenges the nurses were facing in the lock down across the country.
- RNMU advocated for the transport challenge the nurses faced during the lock down because there was no public transportation. The issue was partially sorted because some institutions immediately provided transportation of their employees (nurses/midwives).
- RNMU advocated for the provision of PPEs to the nurses/midwives both in rural and urban areas
- The RNMU president met the MOH in discussion of how to improve the working conditions of the nurses/midwives exposed to COVID 19.
- RNMU held 7 TV talk shows in the nursing/midwifery week to celebrate nurses/midwives during the hard times. In the TV talk shows, the topics discussed were: (the year of the nurse and the midwife, celebrating nurses/midwives in the COVID 19 period with the mental Health aspect, nurses/midwives discussing about their celebration of the IND/IMD at work place, investing in nursing and midwifery, Nursing/Midwifery during and after COVID 19, nursing the world to health and celebrating nurses/midwives). In the TV and Radio talk shows, RNMU discussed about the challenges faced by nurses such as low salary, overwork load, Horizontal promotion issue, unrepresentation in the decision taking bodies and positions. The videos can be found on our Twitter @RNMU 1 and youtube channel Rwanda Nurses and Midwives Union
- RNMU used its shop stewards to report cases of COVID 19 (number of nurses/midwives exposed to patients, nurses/midwives trained, nurses/midwives with PPE, nurse/midwives suspected, quarantined, sent to treatment center ,tested positive, critical, death ,and recovered,
- RNMU advocated and allocated for online trainings about COVID 19 to the nurses/midwives with the World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA). This is found at the Education portal of the RNMU website, click and follow steps.
- RNMU advocated for Horizontal Promotion for nurses and midwives. The MOH on 18th May 2020 released a letter requesting all the institutions to start a applying the law of Horizontal Promotion
