Today is World Health Day. In honor of 2020 being the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, this World Health Day is devoted to supporting nurses and midwives. 

Nurses and other health care workers are at the forefront of the COVID-19 response. They are working tirelessly to ensure the health and safety of all Canadians through treatment and care, data collection, and leading community dialogue. Without nurses, there would be no response. 

Nurses and midwives are also essential to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) prevention, intervention, and diagnosis. Nurses and midwives play an important role in educating women about the risks of substance use during pregnancy, raising awareness about FASD, supporting women to reduce or eliminate their alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and connecting families of individuals with FASD with helpful supports and resources.

A simple way to show your appreciation for our health care workers is to say, “thank you”. Canadians across the nation are saying “thank you” to our nurses and frontline health care providers through lawn signs, social media, discounts, and applause. Join in the celebration and find a unique way to say “thank you” from a distance.

Remember, the best way to show your appreciation is to protect the health and safety of frontline workers. Stay home and wash your hands. Keep our healthcare heroes safe by practicing appropriate preventive health measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. 

To all the nurses, midwives, and frontline health care providers working to keep Canadians safe and healthy, thank you.