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The Committee notes the Government’s report and the attached documentation regarding the application of the Convention. It wishes to receive additional information on the following points.

Article 1, paragraph 2, of the Convention. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the unit which had been set up to monitor private hospitals with a view to improving their standards is presently defunct. The Committee requests the Government to clarify how this failed initiative impacts on the broader public health-care policy and to provide information on any other measures designed to improve the quality of nursing services.

Article 2, paragraph 2(b), and Article 5, paragraph 2. With reference to the collective agreement of 2002 covering the nursing personnel employed by the Catholic Hospital Inc., a copy of which was annexed to the Government’s report, the Committee would appreciate receiving supplementary information on the conditions of employment and work applicable to nursing staff excluded from the scope of this agreement such as head nurses and student nurses. The Committee would be grateful to the Government for continuing to provide copies of all collective agreements regulating the working conditions of nursing personnel in the public and the private sectors. The Committee would also be interested in obtaining up-to-date information on any specific measures taken or contemplated to attract and retain nursing personnel in the profession.

Article 7. The Committee notes the occupational safety and health draft policy statement of the Georgetown Public Hospital which sets out the priorities and objectives of this establishment in matters of health, safety and welfare of its employees. The Committee asks the Government to indicate any specific measures, such as regulations, administrative circulars, training programmes, awareness-raising campaigns or other arrangements, taken with a view to protecting nursing personnel from exposure to special health risks, in particular accidental HIV infection.

Part V of the report form. The Committee understands that health services are affected by the phenomenon of massive departure of qualified nurses who leave the country seeking better prospects abroad. The Committee is also in receipt of information indicating that apart from the nursing training offered by the existing three nursing schools in public hospitals, an effort is currently made to encourage training programmes within private health facilities. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply in its next report detailed information on any progress made in resolving the problem of the shortage of nursing staff, as well as all other available information on the practical application of the Convention, including for instance statistics on the nurse-to-population ratio, the number of students attending nursing schools and the number of nurses leaving or joining the profession per year, information on the organization and operation of all institutions and agencies involved in the delivery of health services, copies of official reports or research studies addressing human resources issues in the health sector, etc.