It's International Nurses' Day today and we are celebrating our Pacific nurses. Comprising more than two-thirds of the health workforce in the Western Pacific Region, nurses are the heartbeat of our communities. The global COVID-19 pandemic has shown the world the important role that nurses play as frontline workers and keeping people healthy across the lifespan. International Nurses' Day is an opportunity to highlight their work while celebrating this workforce as one of our most valuable resources.

This month the Pacific Community (SPC) will highlight the invaluable contribution of Pacific women in health care. Globally, women make up 80% of the health workforce and in the Pacific 75% of women represent the nursing workforce. This year has been challenging for everyone working in health care as COVID-19 took precedence and placed a burden on health facilities globally.

The need to have more specialized nurses was also discussed at the inaugural Pacific Heads of Nursing meeting earlier this year. This meeting was timely given that 2020 is the year of the nurses and midwives and allowed Pacific heads of nursing to connect with each other, share challenges, solutions and provide support for capacity building.

With the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, the world started giving greater attention to health professionals who work at the frontline of the response. The crisis arrives at a time where more qualified health professionals are desperately needed: according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 9 million more nurses and midwives are needed globally if we want to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. It is to highlight that need, that WHO designated 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.

Nursery and midwifery challenges and the leadership capacity of these disciplines must be strengthened at a national, regional & international level. This was the call from participants at the inaugural Pacific Heads of Nursing & Midwifery Meeting (PHoNM) held from the 11-14th of February in Nadi.

Thirteen Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) attended the PHoNM alongside nursing stakeholders and regional and international partners.

The Heads of Nursing from Pacific Island Countries and Territories will convene in Nadi, Fiji from the 11th- 13th of February 2020 for the inaugural Pacific Heads of Nurses (PHoN) Meeting. This is the first time such a meeting has taken place, reflecting the increasing recognition of the essential role nurses play in Pacific health services.