104 nurses graduate at Bindura Hospital
THE Government has been urged to increase support towards the improvement of infrastructure at nurse training schools across the country, at a time competency-based education has seen a review of the nursing and midwifery curriculum, with a focus on improving the practical aspects of training.
Deputy Director of Nursing Services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Lillian Gertrude Dodzo, made the call at a graduation ceremony of 104 general nursing and midwifery students at Bindura Hospital yesterday.
Dr Dodzo said the country had 22 midwifery training schools, 28 registered general nurse training centres and 18 primary care nurse training institutions, which all needed general upgrading in terms of facilities.
Some of the nurse training schools were using old infrastructure and lacked power backup as well as access to information, communication technologies.
She said the Nurses’ Council was lobbying for the prioritisation of nurse training schools at Government level.
“Nurses and midwives are a critical link to achieving universal health coverage and without them, hospitals can be closed.
“We want nurses and midwives to be respected and recognised. When it comes to nurse training, we are having reduced training output and brain drain,” she said.
“We are working towards increasing the training output and we would like to have as many tutors on board. We are hoping that the institutions are advocating the improvement of teaching staff establishment.
“Some of the establishments are old and we want them to be improved. We also have district training schools that don’t have premises and are operating from borrowed establishments,” said Dr Dodzo.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care had introduced e-learning for nurses and midwives with support from UNFPA. Dr Dodzo urged nurses to continue learning and specialise in various disciplines.