The quality, efficiency and equity of services depend on the availability of skilled, competent
health professionals when and where they are needed. Health care workers need appropriate
training to deliver the required standard of services. Interviews with nurses in Namibia
indicated that nurses, comprising the backbone of health services, are overworked, demoralised,
showing signs of burnout and complained about no recognition for their contributions (Awases
et al. 2004:53; WHO 2003:18). Issues of performance and factors affecting performance are not
adequately addressed in Namibia. Nurses have a major role to play in providing timely, quality
health services as nurses and midwives comprise 80% of Namibia’s health workforce (WHO 2011
accessed 16/12/2012).