No hostel for Ho Nursing School is unacceptable-Mama Atroto

Ho, Jan. 23,GNA- Mama Atrato II, Board Chairperson, Ho Nurses' Training College, on Wednesday scolded the various governments for their inability to provide the Ho Nurses Training Institutions with hostels for students since its establishment.

She said that situation was unacceptable, especially when out of the 84 Nurses' Training Institutions in the country only the one at Ho was put up without hostels. Mama Atrato, who is also Queen of the Ho-Dome, a suburb of Ho, was speaking at the induction of 842 students, in the first and second years, admitted into the institutions for Community Health and General Nursing diplomas.

Mr. James Agboada, Principal, said as result of the unavailability of hostels and houses to rent for the students, they were scattered all over the town, many without places of convenience. He said despite the problem, which was affecting discipline the school was doing well, recording, 85.4 percent pass for Community Nurses and 66.2 for Registered General Nurses in the last exams. Mr. Agboada observed that nursing was a demanding profession that needed only dedicated people and that at anytime during the time of training, a student who felt he or she could not conform could quit. He said besides hostels, the institution was in dire need of additional classrooms, laboratories and an Assembly Hall. He said Lecturers also did not have accommodation, forcing some of them to commute to school from Akosombo, Tema and Dzodze. Mrs. Cecilia Kalitsi, Deputy Registrar of the Nurses and Midwives Council, said the expectation of the Council was that students would come out to meet the demanding standards of nursing.

She said a good nurse must win the trust and confidence of clients. Mr. Joseph Amenowode, Volta Regional Minister regretted the disparity between numbers qualifying for the courses and numbers admitted, promising government would expand infrastructure to support higher enrolment. He said the doctors bungalows in Ho were about complete and would be occupied soon and that the defunct Worawora Nurses School would be reactivated and a new one established at Kete-Krachi. The Minister suggested that nursing trainers adopted the sandwich approach to increase access to training. Lt. Gen Arnold Quainoo, (rtd), Member of the Council of State, observed that efforts in formulating policies must reflect in changes for the better within the various sectors. 23 Jan. 10