18 Nurses Complete Advanced Training in Child And Maternal Health Care Delivery

The first 18 specialist neonatology nurses to receive advanced training under Ministry of Health’s Programme for the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality (PROMAC), funded by the European Union (EU), have completed their course.

The training programme, which commenced in September 2014, formed part of the Health Ministry’s mandate to achieve its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of enhancing maternal and child health care delivery, by among other things, reducing the mortality rate in both areas.

Speaking at the Ministry’s In-Service Unit graduation ceremony at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston, on Thursday, July 2, Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Fenton Ferguson, commended the nurses’ performance.

“Through PROMAC, Millennium Development Goal Four, which addresses the reduction of child mortality, and (Goal) Five, which speaks to improving maternal health, are now achievable targets” he said.

The Minister noted that one of the strategic objectives to attaining these goals is to reduce the incidence of neonatal deaths due to lack of access to high dependency care.

“The skills and competencies of our neonatology nurses will, therefore, be put into practice to increase the level of care for our newborns,” he added.

Under the PROMAC initiative, the Health Ministry aims to improve newborn and emergency obstetric care in 11 high dependency units that are being established in six hospitals islandwide.

Similarly, improvements are being made in primary health care services for high risk pregnancies through the provision of advanced clinical knowledge and skills for health professionals.

PROMAC is one of the Government’s strategic interventions aimed at strengthening the health sector, by enhancing the infrastructure and equipment, and boosting the capacity of medical personnel, to improve maternal and child health.