Oguaa Nursing Training College raises security concerns

The Principal of the Cape Coast Nursing and Midwifery Training College, Ms Cecilia Mensah has expressed concern over the security of students and staff of the college at its new campus.

The new campus, located at Abura unlike the old campus at Bakaano, both suburbs of the Cape Coast Metropolis, does not have a fence wall, creating room for thoroughfare, which according to the principal has serious security implications.

Ms Mensah highlighted the challenge when she delivered an address at the College's Matriculation, Graduation, Homecoming and 67th Anniversary Celebration, held at the weekend.

The celebration was on the theme: “67 years of excellence; advancing evidence based practice.”

Other challenges, she enumerated were the fast deterioration of the college's equipment at the old site due to its proximity to the sea and the embargo on employment, which had compelled the College to engage casual workers at its expense.

A total of 325 students made up of 44 males and 281 females were matriculated bringing to 1,400, the total number of students currently enrolled at the college, which started with only four students in 1948.

The graduands were 426 made up of 71 males and 355 females.

Candidates who sat for last year’s final examination recorded 100 per cent pass rate in midwifery and 85 in general nursing and this according to Ms Mensah indicated that the performance of students continue to improve every year.

She was hopeful that the pass rate for midwifery would be maintained while that of general nursing would be improved.

She announced that the college has been accredited by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to in due course introduce Diploma in Public Health and other degree programmes.

Touching on the theme, she said the role of health training institutions in research work in evidence based practice in health care delivery is very crucial since needs of patients, society and the country at large keep changing due to dynamics.

“Research is imperative to the practice of nursing and midwifery. It is incumbent on all to make research our priorities, “she stated,

Central Regional Minister, Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah underscored the essence of evidence based practice and urged the students to conduct more research into healthcare delivery and come out with innovative ways of managing health issues especially maternal mortality.

He said the 100 per cent pass in midwifery gave the hope that in the next decade there would be many experienced midwives to help curb maternal mortality.

The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Cape Coast, Mrs Pricilla Arhin-Korankye described nursing and midwifery as challenging professions and urged new, continuing and graduating students to prepare their minds and set their direction with positive attitude.