Kogi State Government says it has made significant efforts aimed at transforming Nursing Education and practice. This, the Government disclosed is with a view to ensuring autonomy of Nursing Education in the State.
Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada stated this on the occasion of the opening ceremony of Basic and Post-Basic Nursing Institutions conference of principals/ heads of Nursing in Nigeria holding in Lokoja.
Represented by his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, Capt. Wada said, determined to strengthen Nursing Education in the State; and for it to meet the demands and new trends, his administration will provide necessary facilities for all its schools of Nursing to enable them meet the accreditation requirements of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). This, the Governor stated will qualify them to award National and Higher National Diploma Certificates in Nursing to its graduates.
Capt. Wada challenged heads of Nursing Institutions in the country to find lasting solution to the perennial problem of inadequate
Nurse/Midwife Educators, which he noted is an impediment that Basic and Post-Basic Institutions in Nigeria face in their bids to achieve final accreditation for their academic programmes.
Towards transforming Nursing education and practice in the State, Capt. Wada said his administration signed into law the bill changing the status of the School of Nursing Obangede to a College of Nursing.
He added that the Board of Governing Council of the College have also been appointed and inaugurated while more Nurse Educators for the College have been recruited for the College to enable it meet the requirements for final accreditation.
Similarly, Capt. Wada said his administration has constructed additional blocks of classrooms, ultra-modern administrative block, an ICT Centre and an additional hostel he added has also been built at the College of Nursing Obangede for the purpose of accreditation.
Aside the provision of a Utility vehicle for the College, Capt Wada said approval for the employment of four additional Nursing Educators for ECWA School of Nursing, Egbe has also been given, in order to assist the School meet accreditation requirements.
Capt. Wada who described Nursing as a cherished profession, said some other achievements recorded by his administration in the health sector included; the establishment of State Primary Health Care Development Agency, the renovation of existing health facilities across the State and employment of over one hundred and fifty Nurses and Midwives for Zonal, General and Cottage hospitals across the State.
While noting that his administration’s support to immunization activities have made the State polio-free in the past three years,
charged the participants at the conference to come up with workable tools that can assist government in its efforts in actualizing its dreams of transforming Nursing Education and practice in Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Idris Omede, represented by the Special Adviser on health matters, Memuna Umar, said the conference will provide for interaction among States and sharing of ideas on the health policy thrusts of the various States. The Commissioner commended the Kogi State Government for giving attention to Nursing Education in the State.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Hon. Hassan Salau, Kogi State P.D.P Chairman, who was Chairman of the Occasion, said the conference could not have come at a better time with the transformation that is on-going in all the sectors of the nations’ economy. He called on Nurses in the country to key into the transformation that will enhance their practice.
Highlights of the opening ceremony was a paper presentation by Dr. Mrs. Omolola Irinmoye, Head of the Department of Nursing Science, O.A.U Ile-Ife. She made a call for all stakeholders in the Nursing profession towards developing wholesomely, a Nigerian people oriented transformational agenda in the interest of Nigerian people.
She called for an improvement in the knowledge and curriculum of Nursing practioners. She described the transformation of nursing institutions as a core to the survival of nursing profession in Nigeria. She also called for the award of degree by Colleges of
Nursing and commended Capt. Wada in his administration’s efforts in transforming colleges of Nursing in the State.
