Malta is to host the International Council of Nurses Congress in April 2011 when over 3,000 people in the nursing profession will be attending events spread over 10 days at the Mediterranean Conference Centre.

The amount of visitors will compare well to those who attended the CHOGM conference in 2005, MUMN president Paul Pace said at a press conference yesterday afternoon. The congress will attract nurses from some 130 countries worldwide.

A delegation of nurses recently represented Malta in South Africa during this year's International Council of Nurses Congress where a series of activities were held to attract potential attendees to Malta.

The delegation left a very good impression and gave a taste of our rich culture and history by means of audiovisual features, performances and a Maltese night, Mr Pace explained.

The Social Policy Ministry and the Malta Tourism Authority helped make the nurses' endeavor a success by organizing logistical work, an exhibition stand, and souvenirs to distribute to others in South Africa.

The congress was held in Taiwan and Japan prior to South Africa and will be hosted by Australia following Malta.

Social Policy Minister John Dalli said that the success of the Maltese nurses abroad shows that we are able to compete well with any other country worldwide in both quality of service and level of operation.

The 2011 congress will also bring many health workers to Malta and Maltese nurses will have the opportunity to showcase their efficiency and proficiency.

He also pointed out that Malta should strengthen and further develop its conference and incentive sector, highlighting that an infrastructural restructuring and a series programme for the sector needed to be developed. While the political infrastructure was in place and Malta enjoyed a very good reputation with clients abroad, we need to make the extra step to beat competitors, Mr Dalli said.

Asked about the union and government's plans to address the shortage of nurses, Mr Dalli said that the government was looking at long-term solutions such as raising the job profile to attract youngsters into the profession. Vocational guidance was also being carried out together with other temporary solutions to address the shortage.