Four health workers honoured for long years of service |08 April 2021

The three long-serving workers in a souvenir photograph with President Ramkalawan and Minister Vidot (Photo: Jude Morel)

Nurses Malcy Tambara, Marie Ange Michel, Isabelle Joubert and public health officer Tony Laporte were honoured by the Ministry of Health yesterday for their devotion, hard work and long years of service.

This was through a special ceremony held yesterday morning at the compound of the Seychelles Hospital (Red Roof) to commemorate World Health Day and Health Workers’ Day.

At 67 years old, Ms Tambara has clocked fifty years of service and is at present nurse manager overseas treatment. Her colleague, 66-year-old nurse Michel, senior nursing officer, Oncology has clocked 49 years of service while 61-year-old Joubert, nurse manager North East Point Hospital and Hospice, has been in the profession for 45 years. Mr Laporte, who at present is a public health officer and has worked for the ministry for 45 years, was not present during the ceremony.

The three long-serving workers were later able to discuss their accomplishments and challenges in a meeting with President Wavel Ramkalawan who was also present among other high officials and senior staff to honour their long years of service to the ministry. During the meeting, President Ramkalawan encouraged them to share their acquired knowledge and experiences to the youths to motivate those in the profession to stay and those from outside with the caring devotion for others to join the nursing profession.

All three said that dedication, love and devotion towards their patients and their work including support from superiors and families, have helped in keeping them for so long in their profession.

They further said that challenges and difficulties will always be there but one has to learn to cope with and to overcome them.

“I loved nursing since I was very young and I love it even more when I see my patients get their health back after treatment and those who thank me on the streets for caring for them. It’s very encouraging,” Ms Tambara said, noting that she loves her job and also cares for the Seychellois people.

Ms Tambara said that she was once offered to work overseas but could not make it as it was difficult for her to stop caring for her own people.

She said that when she feels down, she puts her faith in God’s hand and that helps her to regain her courage to continue.

As for nurse Michel, she said the only one time she wanted to quit the profession was in the old days when she had to cross the channel with patients to Praslin and La Digue. “The types of boats we had at the time had no facilities and that crossing, to me, was very painful, especially during rough seas. I really wanted to give up. But I think my love and devotion for the job was greater and I was able to get over it,” nurse Michel said, noting that other than that nothing had ever crossed her path that could have prompted her to quit her career.

Ms Joubert said her biggest accomplishment is when she sees her patients regain their health.

“But I feel very disappointed with lots of regrets when a patient under our care loses his or her life. Although I will not totally be the sole person responsible for the care and decision taken, it makes you individually realise if you had given enough care or was there more care could have been given,” Ms Joubert said.

While nurse Tambara and nurse Joubert are thinking of retiring from the profession, nurse Michel said that she will carry on as she feels she still has the energy to offer.

Patrick Joubert