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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society has trained 9 000 people across the country in various first aid and nursing courses in a bid to augment Government’s efforts to improve health delivery services, an official has said.

The organisation’s secretary-general, Mr Maxwell Phiri, made the revelations while officiating at the graduation of 54 nurse aides at Beitbridge District Hospital on Saturday.

He said the 54 were part of 9 000 people who were trained in courses that began in 2015.

“The graduating nurse aides will go a long way in contributing to the local health sector.

“The success of every nation depends on the health and well-being of its populace and we are happy to be training nurse aides who play an important role in many health institutions in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Mr Phiri said the nurse aides played a key role especially in communities with few primary health care facilities.

“We are alive to the fact that we have qualified nurses who are unemployed in the country, but these nurse aides mostly offer health services on a voluntary basis and are very helpful where there are no primary health care facilities.

“The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society’s health and social services programme developed this nurse aide training with a view to contribute to the overall health and emergency response aspirations of our nation.

“The training contributes to a holistic approach in addressing health problems in our society,” said Mr Phiri.

He said the first aid and nursing courses covered three months and covered basic first aid; basic industrial first aid and community-based health care among others.

“Our curriculum largely borrows from a wealth of experience from sister Red Cross Societies present in 189 countries where we operate,” he said.

Speaking during the same function, District Medical Officer for Beitbridge, Dr Takaitei Kanongara called on the nurse aides to take health services delivery as a calling.

“The nurse aide career is challenging, but also rewarding with many opportunities for advancement.

“I am sure that most of you will contribute in the development of your communities in terms of health,” he said.

The Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association vice president, Mr Stanford Ncube, said the nurse aides played a pivotal role in the provision of quality health services across the country.