Government has officially opened the Arthur Davison School of Paediatrics and Child Health Nursing Training School (ADCH) aimed at bridging gaps in qualified nurses attending to children.
ZANIS reports that Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said Zambia needs an availability of adequate numbers of knowledgeable and skilled paediatric and child health nurses to provide quality care to children.
Dr Chilufya said despite the progress made in reducing child mortality rate, Zambia remained with a high disease burden as it strives to improve the health status of children.
Dr. Chilufya said Government was focused on delivering quality health services to children and hence the move to introduce paediatric and child health nursing training school.
He added that the ministry was working hard to resolve the human resource challenges in the health sector through training of health workers.
The minister said the country had a target of reducing infant and child mortality rate and that adequate numbers of knowledgeable skilled workers was key to the attainment of the set goals.
Dr Chilufya noted that although neonatal mortality rate had declined it still remained unacceptably high.
He urged the General Council of Nursing to see to it that nurses undergo a post graduate diploma in paediatric and child health.
Dr Chilufya also said that Government would consider providing support in the area of infrastructure, human resource and training materials.
Speaking earlier at the same function, Copperbelt Province Minister Bowman Lusambo pledged to support the institution and members of staff.
Mr. Lusambo said Government would also work with cooperating partners to ensure that part of their corporate social responsibility goes towards the construction of the Paediatric Nursing School.
ADCH Senior Medical Superintendent Jonathan Mwansa said the training in paediatric and child healthcare would contribute to the reduction of the unacceptably high infant rate, neonatal and under five mortality rates.
Dr Mwansa said the move would also help increase in societal demand for paediatric nurses to address the increased paediatric nurse and child population ratios.
He further said this would help improve management of childhood illnesses including management of nutrition in malnourished children.
Dr Mwansa said the launch of the training was a demonstration that Government is committed to address the human resource challenge.
And Paediatric Nurse Trainee Lengwe Lubunda thanked Government for procuring the learning models for the skills Laboratory to enable the students to perfect the required skills in the delivery of quality Paediatric Nursing and child health care.
She observed that the opening of a Paediatric Nursing School at ADCH would not only have a direct impact in improving the delivery of quality child health nursing care within the framework of child and family centred care but also for career growth.
Anything good meant to contribute to the health of our people is commendable; i just don’t like the behaviour of this boy Lusambo to the elderly in the opposition; now why can’t they just call it Arthur Davison Nursing School?
Actually Arthur Davison Nursing School sounds great…These guys should learn to consult widely.
Esther Lungu Foundation is doing something for the country. This is her legacy. The good thing she doesn’t like flying like Thandiwe Banda. Otherwise, this good deed wasn’t going to materialize.