By Yang Ater Yang
At last the first batch of 84 students have graduated with diploma certificates in different fields including Nursing, Medical Laboratory science, Clinical medicine, Public health and midwifery in Lakes State, Rumbek.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony, the Principal of Rumbek Health Science Institute, Deng Makur Mabeny highlighted that this institute is the premier institution of higher education of health in Rumbek.
The Rumbek Health Science Institute was established in 2002, and was initially registered with new Sudan health secretariat in 2005 and later reregistered with the Ministry of Health government of Southern Sudan in 2009. All these were done in order to achieve our mandate of training health professionals for the country.
According to the Principal, the institution was elevated to the health science institute in 2014 by the national Ministry of Health and currently, the institute consists of four schools, registered Nurse, Medical Laboratory science, Clinical medicine, Public health and midwifery with each school having a student population of thirty learners.
He said the institute administration managed to maintain 21 part-time tutors, 3 technical and administrative staff and 7 support staff since 2005 up to date. The institute had produced 314 graduates who are serving in various capacities in the country.
Makur lauded CUAMM and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the contributions they had made in the last couple of years.
The Principal however underlined that the Rumbek Health Institute lacks books, library equipment in skills lab, desktop computers for tutors and students for printing students’ handouts.
Makur further stressed the lack of full-time tutors and limited classrooms for students because of the great number of students in Lakes State who are always denied chances of studying.
The school administrator said the students are requesting the government together with its partners to provide the institute with laboratory reagents and equipment.
Makur told the graduates that South Sudan shall welcome them with open hands to practice in the area of health as their certificates carry the signatories of the Director General for Training and Professional Development as an addendum to other signatories.
He reminded the graduates to remember their obligation to register with the national Ministry of Health in order to be allowed to practice their professional skills attained from the training.
He advised the graduates to do the registration exercise with utmost urgency after leaving the schools with their certificates.
“So go out into the world and be of great service to South Sudan and most importantly be the change, we want you to see in the world. You have acquired the skills that enable you to deliver service and turn challenges into opportunities” Makur encouraged the students.
He cited that the student’s graduates had spent five years without being graduated due to some challenges such as full time tutors and the COVID-19 pandemic that delayed the graduation.
The Director of Training and Professional Development at the national Ministry of Health, Madam Rev. Jenet Michael urged the graduates to always work out as matured health professionals by practicing the knowledge that they have acquired.
She particularly encouraged women to participate in education like men because they have chosen a professional field especially the nursing and midwifery.
“Work hard because what you have studied is a human service in life, work closely with your community in the counties to provide them quality health service delivery” Jenet urged the graduates.
Meanwhile, the Lakes State acting Minister of Health Jok Ayom Majak appealed to the graduates to deliver health service to the people of south Sudan.
He also called on citizen to send their children to school to become the future of tomorrow.