Upper West health training institutions reduce student intake
The seven health training institutions in the Upper West Region (UW/R) could only admit 1,044 out of the 4,484 qualified applicants for this academic year. This is due to inadequate infrastructural facilities and staff.
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The diploma-awarding institutions are Tumu Midwifery, Nandom Midwifery, Jirapa Midwifery, Jirapa Nursing, Jirapa Community Health, Lawra Health Assistant and Wa Nursing training colleges.
The Principal of the Wa Nursing Training College, Mr George Segnitome, who painted the gloomy picture during the joint maiden regional matriculation of the seven health institutions in Wa at the weekend, said the number to be admitted in subsequent years could continue to reduce if nothing was done about the situation immediately.
"Out of the total number of 4,484 applicants interviewed, the colleges could only offer admission to 1,044, constituting 23 per cent,” he said.
Affiliation
According to Mr Segnitome, all these health institutions which are affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) do not have enough hostels, lecture halls and instructional materials to enhance teaching and learning.
He said in spite of these inadequacies, results of their performances had been very encouraging, ranging from 86 to 100 per cent. "It is our turn to benefit from the GETFund facility,” stressing that, “Accommodation for both staff and students was a challenge.”
He mentioned that for the female students in particular, the situation was very disturbing and, therefore, appealed to the government for infrastructural facilities.
Minister of Health
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, explained that the government decided to abrogate the students’ monthly allowance so as to be able to take in more students. As tertiary students, he said, they were entitled to students’ loan as was being done in other tertiary institutions.
The Deputy UW/R Minister, Dr Musheif Mohammed Alfa, urged the students to study hard since the college afforded them one of the best opportunities to develop their talents.