By Mu’azu Osekalago

Nasarawa State Government has said that it would remain committed to the development of skilled manpower for the health sector in the state.

The commissiner for health, Alhaji Abubakar Sarki Dahiru, stated this last week at the opening ceremony of a refresher course for nurses held at the premises of the School of Nursing and Midwivery, Lafia.

Alhaji Dahiru said "sound health is a cardinal objective of the administration’s 13-point agenda and we are committed to its provision".

He explained that manpower development remained an important panacea to an efficient health care delivery system, adding that government was committed to capacity building of health workers because of the importance the administration attached to the health sector.

The commissioner who gave an account of government’s stewardship in the health sector within the last one year, said "government had upgraded 2 primary health care clinics in each of the twenty nine local government and development areas in the state".

He assured that other programmes aimed at repositioning the health sector in the state would be given deserved attention.

Alhaji Dahiru who called on both staff and students of the school of nursing to justify the huge investment made on the school, disclosed that "the accreditation status of the school has been reinstated".

He said the refresher course was organised to help nurses and midwives update their knowledge on the current issues and practices of their profession for better service delivery.

"My ministry will not relent in our renewed efforts to continue to encourage similar programmes that will improve on the quality and standard of health care services to the people," he stated.

Earlier in his speech, the principal of the school of nursing and midwifery, Mr. Iliya Garba Gugu, called on participants to make use of the opportunity to update their knowledge.

The principal said that the nursing and midwifery council has introduced modules for use in its continuing education programme so as to ensure that nurses and midwives update their knowledge.

"The modules are in stages and we are expected to pass each stage before moving to the other," he stressed.

The 2008 nurses refresher course, which drew participants from different parts of the state has as its theme, "The role of the nurse in the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs)"

Nigerian Newsday gathered that the refresher course was a continuing education programme for the nurses and midwives aimed at affording them the opportunity to update their knowledge and renew their practice license.