The first nursing school in Lakes State offering courses of certified community nurses was officially inaugurated on Saturday in Rumbek.
The Rumbek Nursing School is under the management of an Italian NGO, the International Committee for the Development of Peoples, Good News Radio reported.The inauguration ceremony started with the planting of a memorial tree by Janet Michael, GoSS Director General for Nursing and Midwifery, assisted by Acut Acut, Lakes State Director General in the Ministry of Health.
Ms. Michael cut a ribbon at the main building block formed by three classrooms, library, administrative office, laboratory, and toilets.
Ms. Michael said that the Government of Southern Sudan, under her department of Nursing and Midwifery, fully supports initiatives towards the promotion of the nursing profession, adding that the development of human resources takes the first priority in the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Acut described the occasion as “very big” explaining that through the school the country will have nurses of international standards.
He urged the student nurses to work hard, to uphold mutual respect and enhance a good name for the new school.
Ms. Lucia Sorrentino, International Committee for the Development of Peoples project manager, expressed thanks to various organizations that contributed to the establishment of the nursing school including the Catholic diocese of Rumbek.
The Rumbek Nursing School started in May 2009, and the first year students are hosted at Mary Immaculate Hospital, in Mapuordit Catholic Mission.
The new nursing school cost some 300 thousand Euros to build, over 800 thousand Sudanese Pounds.
Eleven second year students, nine male and two female served by 8 teachers, one tutor and a director, started classes in Rumbek’s new facilities.
The premises consist of three class rooms, a library, laboratory, administrative office, dining, and ten hostels with a capacity of six beds each.