EDITOR
Leaders at the Ntungamo Institute of Nursing and Midwifery have expressed concern over limited infrastructure and low staffing levels, even after the central government took over the institute four years ago. The institute is only the second public nursing and midwifery training centre in the western region.
Mr. Wilber Tukamuhabwa, the institute principal, said the school is struggling to accommodate the increasing number of students—most of whom are government-sponsored, due to limited classrooms, hostels, and other infrastructure. He added that the government only pays 20 of the 73 workers at the institute.
Speaking during the commissioning of a new lecture block at the school on Friday, Mr. Tukamuhabwa, who is also the chairperson of all principals of health training institutions in Uganda, noted that since the government took over the institute from its founding body—Ntungamo District Local Government—it has not constructed any building at the facility. He said all the new structures have been funded and built by parents. He, however, appreciated the government’s broader efforts to develop medical training institutions across the country.
Presiding over the commissioning, the Ntungamo Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Asaiah Byarugaba Kanyamahane, acknowledged the government’s efforts to uplift health service standards. He emphasized that training of health professionals must be taken seriously to ensure quality service delivery.
Founded in 2013 by Ntungamo District, the institute currently has 515 nursing and midwifery students, 341 of whom are on government sponsorship.
