The ICAP Global Nurse Capacity Building Program (GNCBP) hosted its fifth annual summit meeting, “Moving Our Capacity Building Initiatives Forward: Nurse Education Partnership Initiative and General Nursing,” on March 19-22 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Since 2009, the ICAP Global Nurse Capacity Building Program (GNCBP) has worked to improve population health by fostering individuals, institutions, and networks to expand, enhance, and sustain the nursing and midwifery workforce in sub-Saharan Africa. The GNCBP Annual Summit Meeting was held to foster regional human resources for health and nurse leadership capacity by providing resources and supporting opportunities for exchange of expertise among international and regional partners.

The meeting brought together 31 participants across nine countries where ICAP works, including: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia. Participants included ICAP GNCBP leadership and country program representatives as well as international and regional leaders in nursing and midwifery representing the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Health Resources and Services Administration, WHO Collaborating Center for Nursing and Midwifery, Kamuzu College of Nursing/University of Malawi, Forum of University Nursing Deans in South Africa (FUNDISA), Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), and the African Health Profession Regulatory Collaborative (ARC).

Nursing and midwifery partners spoke at the meeting on a range of topics pertinent to enhancing nursing and midwifery education, such as the development of teaching and learning resources to support GNCBP programs and strategies for monitoring and evaluating program performance. Key findings and issues identified at the GNCBP Annual Summit Meeting will feed into the work of the GNCBP currently underway to promote the nursing and midwifery workforce in sub-Saharan Africa.