As the month of May is still dedicated to celebrating nurses for their selflessness in patient care, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Gauteng will hold the International Nurses Day (IND) celebration for the nurses of the province at the Krugersdorp Centenary Hall in Krugersdorp in the West Rand on Monday, 25 May 2026, starting at 09h30.
This year’s International Nurses Day is held under the theme: Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.
The theme implores the employers of nurses to prioritize the improvement of working conditions for the nurses; fair compensation for their work; continuous professional development opportunities; a chance at leadership roles in healthcare settings; and a listening ear from the decision-makers about their urgent needs and those of the patients in healthcare facilities.
DENOSA General Secretary, Kwena Manamela, will be delivering the keynote IND message on behalf of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) – an international nursing body that DENOSA is affiliated to as a national nursing association for South Africa.
Gauteng Premier, Panyaza Lesufi; and Health MEC, Faith Mazibuko, are expected to join DENOSA leaders at the event.
On 12 May 2026, the ICN released a Report that depicts the state of nursing globally, and recommended seven pillars as the key solutions to nursing’s life-saving contribution for all employers of the world.
Amongst others, the report recognised the continuing global shortage of nurses, which currently stands at 5.8 million, and the failure by countries to increase the production of nurses by more than 8 -12% annually, in line with the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020.
Gauteng is also experiencing the very same challenge of gross shortage of staff, with the future of healthcare as more than 70% of the nursing workforce in the country is about to retire in the next five to 15 years. Disaster preparedness is one areas of expertise that DENOSA believes Gauteng needs to focus on when producing nurses, due to the many disasters that have become frequent in the province.
As majority healthcare professionals in the world, making up 30 million nursing workforce, the ICN recommends seven powers of nurses that employers must take advantage of from nurses’ skills and expertise and empower nurses to improve healthcare outcomes.
The Seven Powers are:
1. The Power of Care.
2. The Power of Professional.
3. The Power of Proximity.
4. The Power of Numbers.
5. The Power of Practice.
6. The Power of Peace. And
7. The Power of Trust.
DENOSA General Secretary will explain these pillars at the event.