TheCable

Nigeria is not the only country experiencing a dearth in the supply of skilled nurses. It is a global problem. In Nigeria, this shortage is exacerbated by the migration of nurses to Europe and America in search of greener pastures and the shortage of accredited nursing schools and institutions. But with the approval of the construction of an ultra-modern college of nursing sciences by the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC) – which will be delivered in the next 14 months – Governor Chukwuma Soludo is set to make Anambra a center of excellence for the training of nurses in Nigeria.

According to the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) over 75,000 nurses and midwives have migrated from Nigeria in the last 5 years. In order to address this mass exodus and Nigeria’s nurse-to-patient-ratio, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) decided to increase the quota of nursing students in various qualified institutions. (Currently, Nigeria’s nurse-to-patient-ratio is 1: 1160 as against World Health Organization’s recommended ratio of 1:5).

To address this issue in Anambra, Governor Soludo is currently constructing a smart college of nursing sciences in Isuofia, a town located in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State.

The Anambra State government has informed the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria of the establishment of this institution and the council has replied by stating its intention to follow-up the project. In the coming months, Anambra State will be ready to invite the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for the full accreditation of the proposed nursing institution.

The college of nursing sciences being constructed by Governor Soludo is anticipated to admit about 200 students annually. To put this in context, Anambra State has only one state-owned college of nursing sciences – the Anambra State College of Nursing Sciences Nkpor. The College of Nursing Sciences Nkpor has the capacity to admit only about 100 students annually and it receives over 5,000 applications yearly. Other nursing colleges of sciences in the state are privately owned – mostly by the Catholic Church.

The benefits of having more public nursing colleges and schools in terms of affordability when compared to privately-owned institutions cannot be over-emphasized. Public institutions bring education to the door step of the common man. (Training of medical personnel in private institutions in Nigeria is not cheap!)

The nursing training institution being constructed by Governor Soludo will have a hostel capacity of 500 students. It will have smart – i.e. ICT enabled- training facilities. The vision is to have adjunct faculties from the best hospitals in the world to support Nigerian lecturers in this new institution. The proposed nursing college will have state-of-the-art facilities that can carter for the unique requirements of modern nursing education – i.e. spacious classrooms, well-equipped laboratories, clinical practice areas and simulation rooms.

This college of nursing sciences being constructed will usher in an avalanche of healthcare institutions opening up shop in Anambra in the coming years.

The impact of the proposed College of Nursing Sciences Isuofia in the economy and healthcare ecosystem of Anambra is enormous.

With this institution, Anambra will churn out high quality nurses. These nurses would not only have the capacity to practice nursing anywhere in the world, they would help fill the nursing gap in Nigeria.

In terms of economy, this proposed college of nursing sciences will help grow the GDP of Anambra. For example, some top-notch cancer diagnostic institutions have informally signified interest to open up shop in the vicinity of the proposed Nursing College of Sciences Isuofia. The prospect of having access to well-trained nurses is exciting for any healthcare business.

Other businesses will also spring up around the proposed school. In fact, they are already springing up.

The healthcare ecosystem in Anambra State is changing. Pregnant women now receive truly free maternal and delivery services. Thousands of residents of Anambra State have been brought into the state’s health insurance scheme. Over 500 healthcare workers were recruited a few months ago. The primary healthcare system in the state is being given a facelift. (Before the end of this year, the Soludo-led government would have at least one functional primary healthcare center in each of the 326 electoral wards in the state). 5 new general and specialist hospitals will be commissioned by the end of this year. These reforms are seismic shifts in the public healthcare system in Anambra. The pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem is also changing with the construction of a Coordinated Wholesale Centre for Pharmaceutical and Allied Products and a world-class Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Park.

In the coming years, Governor Soludo plans to make Anambra a center of excellence in terms of healthcare delivery. Anambra is changing and it is the duty of well-meaning Ndi Anambra to support this change. The future of Anambra is bright!

Nwankwo is the special adviser on special projects to Soludo