Govt inaugurates School of Nursing, Midwifery Board

Cross River Government has inaugurated the governing board for the state’s School of Nursing and Midwifery to bring the school back onstream, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, who inaugurated the board, said that the state Governor, Mr Ben Ayade, attached so much priority to the health sector.

Asibong said the board’s major objective was to steer the affairs of the school so as to move it forward.

She added that the state had six schools of nursing and midwifery that were shut before the coming of Ayade’s administration.

She explained that Ayade’s government revitalised three of the schools which were now functional and accredited by relevant bodies.

“The board will now help to ensure that the three remaining schools are back onstream so that we can accommodate more nursing students.

“The board is made up of technocrats who know what they are doing. Some of them are doctorate degree holders, while others are lecturers in nursing departments in various universities.

“With people of this capacity, we know that we are going to achieve our aim.”

Responding after the inauguration, the Chairman, Dr Anthony Awukam, said that the board would ensure that the six schools of nursing and midwifery in the state were fully equipped and running at optimal standard.

According to him, World Health Organisation standard stipulates one nurse to six people in population, hence the need to train nurses because they are the engine room of the health sector.

“If you really want to get your health institution right; the first thing is to train the nurse because they are the engine room of the health industry.

“We intend to make all our six schools of nursing and midwifery functional.

“Admission into the school will start in September this year; we may not be able to put all the schools together by then, but we will stagger because we will have a working timetable for that.

“But within the next three years, we hope to see that all our schools of nursing and midwifery are standard and functional.”

He pledged to work with other members of the board to ensure smooth running of the schools.

NAN reports that other members of the board are Dr Asabe Undeshi (Secretary), while Dr Randy Eyo-Ita and Dr Asu Ojong are members.