A MESSAGE FROM MS. KETTY LAMARO, THE PERMANENT SECRETARY MOES

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.

Through the inter-ministerial Standing Coordination Committee and dialogue with you, we should be able to overcome these challenges.

Finally, allow me that thank the health sector for the great work in managing the 1st and 2nd wave of the Covid19 Pandemic and also in supporting the vaccination drive for Ugandans especially the teachers and students, thank you. As Health Training Institutions were opened in August 2021, and other institutions of higher learning opened in November 2021, I urge all nurses and midwives working in training institutions to become even more vigilant, work with the district task forces to report any cases that may arise, take up vaccination and continue to observe SOPS.

Covid 19 has underscored the need for us to embrace technology in everything we do and also ensure that there is continuity of quality and safe training of health professionals. I therefore, urge all nurses and midwives to adapt the new normal in light of COVID 19 to ensure that every nurse and midwife that qualifies has the required competencies for practice. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Prosperous 2022

For God and My Country

Ms. Ketty Lamaro PS, Ministry of Education and Sports

Happy One New Day at a Time