1. ZUNO e- newsletter/ Monthly Issue#04 November 2015
ZUNO President Thom Yung’ana
implored the government and other
policy makers to also ensure that the
nurses and midwives operate within an
environment that enables them to
adhere to acceptable standards of care
in the state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Mr Yung’ana said this in his message
ahead of World AIDS Day
commemorated on 1st December, under
the local theme ‘ Zambia’s future:
Getting to Zero New HIV infections.’
which has been drawn from global
theme ‘Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV
infections: Zero discrimination and Zero
AIDS-related deaths’
HIV/AIDS has without a doubt put a
heavy burden on the entire healthcare
system particularly on the nurses and
midwives workforce. According to the
Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), there is currently
close to 1,200,000 number of people
living with HIV in Zambia.
He said this also has an indication on the
number of patients visiting health
centres to be treated for HIV and
opportunistic infections. Nurses and
Midwives are at the centre of health care
provision. As such, HIV/ AIDS has had a
negative impact on the workforce
leading to low morale, stress,
absenteeism, high worker attrition rates
with no replacement and limited entry
into the workforce. ZUNO President
Thom Yung’ana, said the factors that
have affected motivation and
performance include an increased
workload; coping with the psychosocial
stress from providing palliative care for
patients and own relatives, and ill-health
among the health workforce
themselves, among other things.
“If Zambia is to realize the dream of
getting to zero new HIV infections, there
is need for the country to develop
policies that translate to positive
impacts on human resource in the health
system in the face of HIV/AIDS without
undermining broader macroeconomic
factors.” Said Mr Yung’ana.
He added that it is for this reason that,
as an organization that promotes
Professionalism and Socio-Economic
Welfare of nurses and midwives, ZUNO
supports the Zambian government’s
plan of creating a social health insurance
scheme for formal sector employees,
which has since reached an advanced
stage. ZUNO expects the scheme to
bring about improved access to health
care services for nurses and midwives
and the rest of the population in the
country in line with the governments
vision of “providing Zambians with
equity of access to cost-effective, quality
health care as close to the family as
possible.”
The ZUNO president said Nurses and
Midwives are caregivers that need to be
cared for as their work is important to
economic development and social
stability. The role nurses and midwives
play places them in a better position in
terms of prevention of infections,
combating HIV-related stigma as well as
improving access to antiretroviral
therapy.
“Nurses and Midwives provide an
essential service and should therefore be
treated as an essential and vital national
resource”. He said.
Also in this issue
 Call for "Leading Lights" in TB to
shine
 Count down to 2nd ZUNO
Quadrennial Conference
 The man who paved the way
E
Need for positive policies in the health system in the face of HIV/AIDS
Nurses and Midwives are caregivers
that need to be cared for…

2. ZUNO e- newsletter | Monthly Issue#04 November 2015 2
ICN TB Project "Leading
Lights" initiative: Call for
December Nominations
The International Council of Nurses
ICN is calling for nominations of
those who have made outstanding
contribution to the care affected by
any form of TB.
The nominees are being identified as
“Leading Lights”.
ICN is particularly interested to hear
from anyone who has received
training through the ICN TB Project,
either directly or from a nurse who
has attended an ICN course on
“Training for Transformation of Care,
Management and Prevention of
Tuberculosis”.
The most impressive stories will be
posted on the ICN webpages and the
nurse, health worker, NNA or team in
question will receive a certificate of
appreciation identifying them as a
"Leading Light" for the ICN TB
Project.
The Closing date for the next phase
of nominations is 15 December
2015Please follow this link and fill in
and submit the nomination form on
the website:http://www.icn.ch/tb-
mdr-tb-project/what-we-do/the-icn-
tb-mdr-tb project/nomination-form-
leading-lights.html
You will find more information on the
initiative and see previous "Leading
Lights" at: http://www.icn.ch/tb-
mdr-tb-project/leading_lights.html
ZUNO Membership is open to nurses
and midwives registered with the
General Nursing Council of Zambia and
employed both in the public and
private sectors.
Members have the opportunity of
advancing their career through
ZUNO membership as the
Organisation creates an effective
platform for networking and training
with local and international partners.
Other benefits include;
 Collective bargaining
 Continuous professional
development (CPD)
 Professional & legal
representation and counsel
 Lobbying & advocacy
 Protection against
discrimination and mistreatment in
places of work
 Social and financial support
 Unity of purpose
 Access to information & research
activities
IMPORTANT DATES!!!
 10-11 December 2015 – Second
Quadrennial Conference @New
Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone.
Discover benefits of being a ZUNO member
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The General Secretary
Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation
Stand No. 23889, Bennie MwiingaHousingScheme
(Formerly PHI)
P.O Box 50375
Lusaka Zambia
Tel: +260- 211-281 869
Fax: +260 -211-281 870
Mobile: +260 – 964 910 842
Email:zuno@zamnet.zm
Website: www.zuno.org.zm
Count down to 2nd ZUNO Quadrennial Conference
The 2nd ZUNO Quadrennial Conference and 56th National Assembly scheduled for
the 10th and 11th of December 2015 in Livingstone is fast approaching. Please take
note of the scheduled activities during that week.
ACTIVITY DATE
Secretariat Advance Party arrival 7th December 2015
Arrival of National Executive Committee
Members
7th December 2015
National Executive Committee Meeting 8th December 2015
Arrival of National Council members 8th December 2015
National Council Meeting 9th December 2015
Arrival of Branch Delegates 9th December 2015
Quadrennial conference 10th and 11th December 2015
Delegates departure 12th December 2015
NOTE!!! Invited guests should carry with them a copy of the Invitation letter and
the ZUNO 2008 constitution.
Dress Code: Beige Shirt and Black bottom.
A beige branded ZUNO shirt will be provided; delegates are therefore urged to wear
a black trousers or skirt.

3. ZUNO e- newsletter | Monthly Issue#04 November 2015 3
Thom .D. Yung’ana; the man who paved the way
Mr Thom. D. Yung’ana during the 1st quadrennial conference in 2011
He stands out from the crowd without much effort. His physical appearance makes one summon courage before daring to oppose him.
His stature commands authority, while his voice makes it even easier.
One would be tempted to think that this is possibly the reason why 50-year-old Thom Dauti Yung’ana is the longest saving president of
the Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation.
But Mr Yung'ana has earned himself a reputation of being a tactful negotiator, with a remarkable public speaking skill.
For 9 years, he has led the Organisation without interruption by winning all the three elections he contested for the position of
presidency.
Mr Yung’ana ascended to the presidency in 2006, as Zambia Nurses Association President (ZNA), and successfully spearheaded the
organizations’’ transformation into ZUNO in 2007 despite numerous challenges faced at the time.
He is a Registered General Nurse and an Operating Theatre Nurse specialist who has never put away his books. He also holds a
Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) and Bachelor of Business Administration Degree with Human Resources Management (BBA-HRM).
Mr Yung'ana is married to Musole Mbambo Yung’ana, a nurse, with four children.
In this November issue, we ignore the conventional and celebrate this man’s achievements. We ask him to briefly reflect on his work.
Q. What motivated you to drive
ZUNO?
Answer: Three things motivated me to
consider some of our then ZNA
members’ desire for me to contest for
the ZNA presidency and not 1st Vice
Presidency, the position I held in the
preceding tenure of office, and also to
embark on the transformation process of
ZNA into now, ZUNO. Firstly to fight
for the nurses’ and midwives’ right to be
collectively bargaining as a profession
for improved salaries and conditions of
service. Secondly to increase
membership, grow the Organisation and
make it self sufficient as it was heavily
dependent on donor support.
Thirdly to turn make the Organisation
both a profession and socio-economic
(trade union) organization that is
responsive to all needs of nurses and
midwives, since they are both
professionals and workers. This is what
turned ZNA to ZUNO.
Q.Are you happy with what has been
achieved through the years (from the
time you took over the presidency to
date)?
Answer: Yes I am very happy since all
the benchmarks that motivated me to
stand for presidency have been achieved.
However, there is still room for
improvement now that the foundation is
set.
Q. If you had the power to turn back-time, what
would you have done differently?
Answer. I would have placed extra emphasis on the
need for improved professional conduct of nurses
and midwives, vice versa, their work environment,
salaries and conditions of service.
Right now there seem to be a growing public outcry
about nurses and midwives’ attitude towards
patients and work; while on the other hand, nurses
and midwives are complaining of critical shortage of
nurses and midwives, limited infrastructure at health
facilities, inadequate medical and surgical supplies,
including drugs, hospital beds and linen for patients,
and indeed, poor salaries and conditions of service
whose pocket buying power has been eroded by the
recent depreciation of the local currency (kwacha)
against major currencies like the United States
Dollar. These are real issues; I could have focused
on if I had to turn time-back.
Q. During your time as the
head of ZUNO, have you
had moments when you
thought “I did not sign up
for this”?
Answer. Yes! When around
five hundred (500) nurses and
midwives, representing about
4.9% of the total number of
nurses and midwives
employed by the Government
of the Republic of Zambia,
vehemently refused to heed
my advice, and consequently
proceeded with the
unsanctioned strike action,
which ended up in their
dismissals from the public
service employment in
December 2013.
Though later they (dismissed
nurses and midwives) came
back to their realization and
sort the intervention of
ZUNO. Their re-employment
in the public service which
has just been concluded.
However the humiliation
caused to the profession and
ZUNO is yet to be erased.
Now that we (ZUNO) have
successfully fought for their
re-employment, I only hope,
lessons have been learnt.
Continues…..

4. ZUNO e- newsletter | Monthly Issue#04 November 2015 4
Q. What are the three things you wish
people knew about you?
Answer. Discipline, hard work and team
work underpinned my 12 years
ZNA/ZUNO leadership success story.
I like innovations that create opportunities
for all.
I am a fighter and I detest dishonesty and
oppression of man by another man.
Q. What advice would you give the next
ZUNO president?
My advice to my predecessor is that, take
care of ZUNO, nurses/midwives and the
nursing/midwifery profession as a whole, to
the best of your ability. Furthermore,
continue building upon the foundation we
have laid, during my pioneer presidency –
with regard to the nurses and midwives’
right to collectively bargain, lobby and
advocate for the improved
nursing/midwifery profession, patient care
and ZUNO members’ socio-economic
welfare. Above all, ensure unity of purpose
and professionalism, in ZUNO and in the
profession, since without unity and discipline
nothing can stand the test of time.
QUOTE
“The key to unleashing the
organizations’ potential to
excel is putting that
power in the hands of the
people who perform the
work”. — James
M.Kouzes.
Mr Yung’ana with ZUNO General Secretary Liseli Sitali (Left) and
Deputy General Secretary for Finance and Administration
Bartholomew Munanjala(Middle) presenting the award from
Chibuluma Mines Hospital Branch to Head office
Mr Yung’ana during a live TV program on Zambia National
Broadcasting Corporation
Mr Yung’ana (far Right) introducing the ZUNO team to the Health
Minister Joseph Kasonde during 2013 International Nurses Day