Newly graduated 25 female nurses introduced to the community
Twenty-five female students graduated from a two-year Community Health Nursing Education (CHNE) project and received their degrees in a ceremony in eastern Laghman province. CHNE project is funded by the Swedish International Development and Corporation Agency (SIDA) and is jointly implemented by Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) and Norwegian Afghanistan Committee (NAC) as a joint venture.
The Community Health Nursing Education program for females was introduced in the health system of the Ministry of Public Health in 2011, in order to address lack of nurses in Afghanistan as well as the overall shortage of female health workers, particularly in rural areas. The programme is similar to the community midwifery-training programme, which has played a vital role in increasing the reproductive health services in the country.
The goal of the CHNE program is to graduate female health workers who are primary and community health-oriented rather than disease‐oriented, and who are able to provide care to well and sick individuals, families and communities. Upon graduation the nurses will be employed in a health facility close or near to the remote district where they are from.
The graduated nurses received degrees during the graduation ceremony, which was attended by Alhaj Shahzada Mazlomyaar, deputy provincial governor of Laghman, Eng. Abdul Ahad Samoon SCA Head of the SCA Eastern Region, Dr. Abdul Latif Qayumi, director of public health department, Dr. Kamila Sair of SCA Health Programme, Shakila Baidar of NAC and others.
Maryam, Aziza and Zarlasht were among the graduates. They say, after the two years practical and theoretical studies, now they are able to perform their duties and carry out their responsibilities. “We are ready to provide healthcare services to the community as needed,” they added.
Maryam, a mother of two hails from Daulat Shah, a remote district. She says, we have a health clinic in our district, which is not capacitated to meet the raising number of visiting patients. “I admired to be in medical profession and provide healthcare services. Thanks God, today I am a professional nurse. I will serve my community as I dreamed,” she added.
Aziza and Zarlasht, both hails from Qarghayee and Alishang districts respectively. Both says that their parents are educated and allowed them to study the nursing education. “We had theoretical studies in classrooms within the premises of the CHNE school, followed by the practical work in the Mehterlam provincial hospital,” they added.
A total fund of 20 million Afs was allocated for the Community Health Nursing Education (CHNE) project, which was granted by SIDA.
Addressing the ceremony Alhaj Shahzada Mazlomyaar, deputy provincial governor, Eng. Abdul Ahad Samoon SCA Head of Eastern Region, Dr. Abdul Latif Qayumi, director of public health department, Dr. Kamila Sair of SCA Health Programme and Shakila Baidar of NAC congratulated the graduate nurses and advised them to utilize their potentials in provision of healthcare services.
SCA is also running the midwifery education program in Maidan Wardak and Samangan provinces.