By Jonathan Ugbal
The Cross River State Government says it has put the necessary framework in place to ensure its six schools of nursing and midwifery are accredited by the end of 2017 to help cater for the manpower needed in the health sector.
The state’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Inyang Asibong disclosed this to newsmen Wednesday in Calabar shortly after inaugurating the Board of the Schools of Nursing and Midwifery which she said is; “made up of technocrats who know what they are doing (and has) the kind of people we need.”
Asibong who said that there is need to cater for the manpower needed in the health sector to ensure standards are not compromised said requisite architecture to ensure that all its tertiary medical institutions are accredited is now complete as the newly inaugurated Board, “is going to be so helpful to male sure that this is done.”
Continuing, she said that; “We have six schools of nursing and midwifery in the state and just before the advent of this administration, all were closed down. But now we have three functional and by the year end we want to get the other three functional and accredited, so that we can get in more nursing students.”
“With the board having so much capacity and with the sole aim of making sure that our schools of nursing and midwifery are up and running, up to standard and the best in the country, we know that we are going to achieve our aim” Asibong added.
Also, the Chairman of the Board, Dr. Anthony Awukam said that the only functional institutions which were accredited are School of Nursing Itigidi in Abi local government area and the School of Midwifery in Calabar.
Pointing out that; “Admission starts in September and we know we are not going to put all the schools back on stream”, he said the board will strive to ensure all schools are accredited.
Furthermore, he noted that; “The World Health Organisation standard is that the ought to be one nurse to six people in the population and if you want to get your health institution right, the first thing is to train your nurses. They are the engine room of the health institutions, of the health industry.”
Listing non functional institutions to include school of midwifery Obudu and Ogoja, and schools of nursing Ogoja and Calabar, Awukam added that; “Once you can get your nursing professionals trained in the health industry, you are half way done to improve the health population.”
In a similar vein, the secretary of the board, Lady Vic Undeshi promised the board will function effectively and lauded the current administration led by Governor Ben Ayade for appointing a board which she said is a step in the right direction.
Leave feedback about this