NML Issue 11
NMLTT
2021
Protect.
Invest.
Together.
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A MESSAGE FROM MS. KETTY LAMARO, THE PERMANENT SECRETARY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SPORTS On behalf of the Ministry of Education and Sports and on my own behalf, I greet you all. I have been briefed about this newsletter, I am informed that it’s an innovation by the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Think Tank to improve communication and sharing among nurses, midwives, health professionals and the public. Allow me to thank Uganda Nurses and Midwives Think Tank for this innovation and other strategies in place to improve health service delivery as well as upscale advocacy for the nursing and midwifery profession.
Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) is mandated to educate and train competent and quality human resources for the health sector. The Ministry carries out its mandate in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the professional councils, and various providers at all levels of Health Services delivery. May I therefore register my appreciation to all nurses and midwives for your service to humanity and especially for acting as preceptors and tutors to the nursing and midwifery students.
I have been made aware that nursing education started at Mengo Hospital by training midwives at the lowest level of nursing. I have also been informed that this education has been upgraded from certificates to diplomas and now we have universities that offer bachelor and master’s degrees in nursing and midwifery. And that some nurses and midwives have attained Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing or other fields. The Ministry will continue with its collaboration with the health sector to ensure coordinated, labour-market responsive production of skilled, high-quality, health workers who are responsive to the national needs and are competitive at international levels.
The Ministry of Education and Sports is aware of the very few specialized nurses and midwives both at technical and master’s level of practice. We are working with the Ministry of Health and the National Planning Authority to ensure we produce specialized nurses and midwives to match the identified needs such as critical care, oncology, cardiology, neonatology, palliative care, public health and others. We are committed to improved health outcomes as a result of properly trained nurses and midwives. We are also aware of some challenges that have existed between training and absorption of trained cadres which may cause frustration within the trained cadres.
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