The Kwadaso Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Nursing and Midwifery Training College admitted a total of 894 first years to pursue Nursing and Midwifery programmes for the 2023/24 academic year.
Of the lot, mostly Senior High School graduates, 507 are pursuing Nursing, while 287 are into the study of midwifery.
The Principal of the Nursing and Midwifery Training College (NMC), Mr. Daniel Atta-Tuffour, who disclosed this at the joint 19th Matriculation of Trainee Nurses and 10th Matriculation of Midwifery students at the Barekese campus of the College on Friday, said the intake has contributed in taking some of the Free SHS graduates from the streets, and pledged that the College would give them skills to help national development.
The number has also added to the current students’ population of 2,200 – totaling 6,407 of the number of Graduates and Undergraduates (4,207 Students; Registered Nurses 2,758 and Registered Midwives 1,449) the College has so far trained.
The Principal emphasised that as a Christian Institution, the College is bound to train the mind, heart and hands of the students for a holistic education based on the bible and for spiritual development.
The theme for this year’s Matriculation Ceremony, chaired by Pastor Dr. Kwame Annor-Boahen, was: “Training Disciplined Nurses and Midwives: The role of stakeholders”.
The Principal announced that the products of the school are performing very well at various facilities in Ghana and beyond and that, the College’s pass rate in NMC and KNUST exams are very good.
He, however, mentioned inadequate lecture halls for students, staff accommodation, inadequate teaching and learning materials and untarred inner roads on the Barekese campus as the major challenges facing the school.
Principal Attah–Tuffour advised the students to make use of available opportunities and tap from the rich experiences of a dedicated team of educators, staff members and fellow students.
He reminded them that education is a powerful weapon in the preparation for life and urged them to seize the powerful weapon of education to shape their future. which is bright and full of promises.
The Guest Speaker, Dr. Lily Obenewaa Asare (Pre-Service & In-Service Training Coordinator of the Ghana Adventist Health Services) in her presentation on the theme, mentioned that stakeholders have a vital role to play in shaping the future of healthcare professionals through collaboration and collective responsibility.
She said Stakeholders must prioritise mentorship, continuous professional development and opportunities for specialisation, as well as foster a culture of respect, empathy and teamwork towards shaping the next generation of Nurses and Midwives.
The Pre-Service & In-Service Training Coordinator noted that the collective efforts of stakeholders will yield a workforce that embodies discipline, compassion and excellence and called for the empowerment of healthcare professionals to enhance patient care and outcomes.
“By working together, we can produce nurses and midwives who are not only skilled but also compassionate, empathetic and dedicated to delivering exceptional patient care,” she stressed and called for commitment in supporting the training of disciplined Nurses and Midwives for the sake of our patients, healthcare system and communities.
The Adventist health Services Coordinator noted that Nurses and Midwives providing compassionate care and expertise to patients in various settings are the backbone of our healthcare system, for which reason their training, discipline and development require a concerted effort from all stakeholders including the Church, educators, healthcare administrators, policymakers, parents and community leaders, each of which has the responsibility to ensure that they receive the training they need to excel in their roles.
“It is incumbent on the Church to provide the spiritual and moral guidance to the students to help build them for quality service delivery”, she said, adding that “Educators must provide comprehensive curricula that emphasise both theoretical knowledge and practical skills”.
According to Dr. Lily Obenewaa Asare, healthcare administrators must support continuing professional development and create conducive work environments, while policymakers enact policies that promote excellence in Nursing and Midwifery practice.
Dr. Lily Obenewaa Asare also reminded parents of their task to support and guide their wards in their educational journey and instil in them values of hard work, responsibility and dedication.
She also recommended that community leaders must advocate for the importance of disciplined Nurses and Midwives in our healthcare system and urged governments, educational institutions, healthcare organisations and professional associations to work together to create an environment conducive to learning and growth by investing in infrastructure, faculty development and curriculum design that emphasises evidence-based practice, critical thinking and interpersonal skills.
Pastor Dr. Kwame Annor-Boahen, the President of Northern Ghana Union of Seventh-day Adventist church, who is also the Board chairman of the school, assured that the SDA church would continue to help in the training of the youth with its own resources, towards the development of mother Ghana.
