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Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
At least 106 nurses and midwives graduated with diplomas in general nursing and midwifery at the Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital‘s 17th graduation ceremony last week. These included 58 general nurses and 48 midwives, who underwent three years of training and an additional year for midwifery training. Guest of honour and Zimplats managing director Mr Stanley Segula said the success of the graduates was made possible through Government’s sensitivity to social services.

“This success, ladies and gentlemen, is achieved not by efforts of our graduands only, but it is the concerted effort of the whole system,” said Mr Segula.
“The Government system recognises the need for social services, a system that recognises, appreciates and also answers to the developmental needs of the community.” He commended the quality of learning at the nursing school after several groups achieved 100 percent pass rate. However, one group achieved 55 percent, which is the lowest in years at the institution. Hospital medical superintendent Dr Collett Mawire said the institution will continue to work hard to produce reliable cadres.

“We are proud to be a vital contributor to the human resources need for our nation. We shall continue to work hard to produce a cadre that the nation would rely on,” said Dr Mawire. Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Webster Shamu, in a speech read of his behalf by a director in his office, Mr Jim Kadziya, hailed Government for unfreezing nursing posts.

“We are grateful to note that this phase is gone and our Government has moved to absorb most of the nurses that had been jobless,” said Cde Shamu. He applauded the collaboration between Ministry of Health and Child Care and its partners in absorbing some of the newly qualified nurses. The development of the nation, Cde Shamu said, depends on the depth of its skills and the STEM initiative provides the needed platform. Chinhoyi School of Nursing and Midwifery has a total of 146 students, who cannot, however, all be accommodated at the school hostels. The hostels can only accommodate 100 students, with the rest lodging in the community.