About Us
Our Beginnings
The first day of life is the most dangerous! Neonatal nurses care for sick and small babies in their first month of life – the most vulnerable time in their lives. This requires highly specialised and skilled care to ensure these precious babies grow up with the best possible quality of life.
Unfortunately in South Africa there is no formal training to equip nurses to deliver this care. Nurses feel isolated, nervous and ill prepared to care for this small population of patients.
It was evident that they needed support. In 2007 in KZN the Neonatal Nurses Association of Southern Africa was launched to try and provide this much needed support.
Our Vision
To enhance newborn health and survival by advocating for and empowering neonatal nurses. We aim to enable them to provide high-quality, respectful, compassionate and holistic care for every newborn.
Our mission statement
To be the leading advocate for neonatal nursing in Southern Africa. We are dedicated to enhancing newborn care by offering leadership, support, and resources to neonatal nurses. Through collaboration, education, and research, we strive to establish neonatal nursing as a recognized specialty and to improve newborn health outcomes across the region.
Our core values
Care – We are committed to providing compassionate, kind, respectful and thoughtful interactions with newborns, their families, the community and professional colleagues.
Passion – We energetically and persistently champion the needs of newborns and the neonatal nursing profession.
Excellence – We continuously strive to develop, deliver and uphold a high standard of neonatal nursing practice, association and care grounded in the best available evidence and international standards.
Our board members
Ruth Davidge
President
I completed my certificate in Neonatal Intensive Care in 1996. I was operational Manager for the Greys Hospital Tertiary level NICU for over 10 years. I then supported Western KZN hospitals running a Neonatal Experiential Learning Site (NELS). I am currently the KZN Neonatal Program Manager supporting 54 Public Hospitals to strengthen clinical governance and improve quality of care for neonates.
I was the founding President of NNASA and a founding director on the board of the Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN).
I believe that Jesus has called me to passionately:
empower and equip neonatal nurses, in their dependent, interdependent and independent roles, to pursue excellence in caring for neonates and their families; unite neonatal nurses nationally and globally;
advocate for the advancement of neonatal nursing as a critical factor in optimising neonatal outcomes.
Carin Maree
Previous President
I am a neonatal nurse educator and professor at the University of Pretoria. I believe that collaboratively we can move the goal post for care of neonates for a better future.
Marianna Scheepers
Gauteng
BCur (NWU), MCur(UP) Advanced Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing, PhD (UP)
Nurse Educator, Trained Assessor and Moderator,
Helping Babies Breath Mentor and Master Trainer
Nomkhangiso
Violet Jezile
Eastern Cape
RN,RM,Dip Paediatric, M&S Neonatal.
Assistant Manager- Neonates Dora Nginza Hospital EC.
Chairperson Nelson Mandela Bay District Port Elizabeth NNASA Branch.
Chairperson Provincial NNASA EC.
Passionate with Neonates ,always strive for better Newborn outcomes, welcome any interventions that will save Newborns🙏🙏
Cathy Miller
KZN
As a training nurse I was drawn to neonatal nursing and have never looked back as what a privilege it is to witness miracles everyday of your life through the smallest of society! My vision for NNASA is to strengthen relationships and unite neonatal nurses accross South Africa as we strive to deliver the best care for our neonatal patients.
Christa Hood
Secretary
Betina Heyns
Vice President
I believe we are all born with a purpose that God intended for us. Finding that purpose is a privilege and a blessing. I believe I was purposed to care for and be involved in the little miracles we call neonates. My passion and enthusiasm for this population knows no bounds, I absolutely love it! And NNASA provides the perfect platform to build on and support neonatal nursing, that is why I decided to join the association and board to help further their mission.
Megan Baker
Treasurer
Megan is a Professional Nurse, currently practicing at Mediclinic Milnerton in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Her Community Service Practitioner (CSP) year was served at Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape, where she received the Hartman Award as best performing CSP for 2023, having worked in Neonatal and Emergency wards. She graduated from the University of Johannesburg Baccalaureus Curationis (BCUR) in 2022.
Neonatal Nursing is a field of passion that involves intense love and care for the tiny newborns with no voice. As a passionate Neonatal Nurse, my vision for NNASA is to grow from strength to strength in fighting for the tiny newborns to be heard, as well as provide a platform of growth and professional development for all Neonatal Nurses going forward.
Joyce Zwane
Co-Founder
I am the co founder of NNASA back then on the 22 February 2007. My vision for this organization is to support one another by information sharing through conferences , calling a friend when facing difficult situations on our daily activities. Also to expand our membership for our organization in order to make it more sustainable.
Aliné Hall
Board Member
I am passionate about the care we render to the most vulnerable of the population and their family in our care. I believe NNASA is the platform to continue striving for well trained neonatal nurses with a passion for moms and babies, and to ensure each baby is offered excellence care.
Portia Seekoei
Gauteng
Theresa Makhatane
Free State
Our Membership
NNASA had built up a database of over 450 nurses caring for babies, NNASA unites and speaks for nurses in both the public and private sectors and had a representation of approximately 62% and 28% respectively. Our membership demographics reflected 49% black, 30% white, 12% Indian and 9% coloured. Our branches were growing and included Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein. We invite you to rejoin this journey of NNASA in 2024.
Our Reach
NNASA has achieved national and (together with COINN) international recognition as a voice for neonatal care with board members being invited to the WHO Health Care Professional Associations meeting in Malawi in 2007, the 1st Global Newborn Care Conference -2013; The Global Newborn Action Plan Country Consultation meeting -2013; The Partnership for Maternal, Child and Newborn Health Forum -2014 (As a member of the South African CSO Coalition for Woman’s, Adolescents and Child Health, NNASA cohosted a pre conference event: A common thread: Reaching Every Woman and every Newborn) ; the 10th International KMC Conference in Rwanda -2014 (including pre conference consultation meetings with Save the Children). A NNASA board member was also a co-author for Chapter 5 of the International Born Too Soon Report.
NNASA is actively involved in lobbying for recognised post basic neonatal nurse training in South Africa. This has included meeting in 2011 with The Honourable Aaron Motsoeledi -National Minister of Health and the Ministerial Task Team for Nurse training and two subsequent meetings with the South African Nursing Council.
NNASA has hosted 6 National Conferences and in 2010 just 3 years after our inception we successfully hosted the 7th International COINN Conference. There were close to 500 delegates from 19 countries. It was one of the few COINN conferences to actually make a profit, both for NNASA and COINN and we saw the launch of the International Neonatal Nurse Excellence awards in collaboration with Saving Newborn Lives.