The government has pledged to work with the Church and development partners to ensure promotion of quality education for nurses, midwives and other medical practitioners to achieve quality health services delivery.
Vice President Everton Chimulirenji made the statement at St Luke’s Nursing and Midwifery College in Zomba Thursday during the graduation ceremony of 176 nurses and midwifery technicians.
“We further commit our government to work with the Church for the betterment of Malawians,” Chimulirenji said.
The vice president acknowledged World Learning’s support to education in the country through provision of scholarship to nursing and midwifery students at St. Luke’s College and other colleges.
He, therefore, said the government has high hopes in the newly-graduated students towards achieving quality health services to the communities they would be assigned to serve.
Bishop of Anglican’s Diocese of Upper Shire, Brighton Malasa, commended the graduating students for their hard work that has enabled them to be awarded diplomas, saying it has opened a new chapter in health care delivery.
Malasa said the nation is waiting for newly-trained health personnel to contribute to the country..
He also pledged the church’s support in ensuing health care and other programmes of national development.
Principal of St Luke’s College of Nurses and Midwifery, Maxwell Pangani also acknowledged government’s role in the training of nurses and midwifery at the college.
He said the college is committed to providing best quality training to ensure output that will reflect the college’s excellence in capacity building in the health sector.
He also commended strong teamwork between tutors and partners that has led to successful training of the nurses and midwives.
During the ceremony, Chifundo Zaina emerged as the best student in the practical category while Mary Leonard became best student under theory category.
St Luke’s Nursing and Midwifery College, which started training nurses in 1972, belongs to the Anglican Diocese of the Upper Shire.