The Torit Health Science Institute (THSI) in Eastern Equatoria State over the weekend graduated 112 students in nursing, midwifery, medical laboratory and technology, and clinical medicine and public health, 35 of the graduates were female.
Ochan Denis, the academic registrar of the Institute commended the state health ministry and all the Primary Health Care Centers statewide for supporting the clinical placements and community attachments for the graduates that led to the successful completion of their courses.
“I would like to appreciate the ministry of health, Torit State Hospital, and all the Primary Health Care Centers within the state for allowing our students to acquire the skills during their clinical placement and community attachment,” Ochan said. “Great impact is now being realized in the lives of many youths. I would like to bring to your notice that all the training has been possible due to tireless efforts of our tutors, the clinical instructors, they are very determined, hardworking and well trained to equip the learners with different psychomotor.”
The THSI principal, Tobia Magezi Omal, said that the mission of the Institute is to equip all health facilities in the state with qualified health workers by 2030.
“Our mission at Torit Health Science Institute as from the state ministry of health is that we want to equip all two hundred and twelve health facilities across the state with well-qualified staff from Torit Health Science Institute, this is the part of the product,” Principal Magezi stated.
For her part, Dr. Margret Itto, Eastern Equatoria State’s former health minister and former deputy governor of the now Defunct Torit State, pledged to support the health schools for the good of the people.
“From me as a professional technical person, health (care) is with me for life and I am ready to contribute with anything to develop these training schools as a volunteer because that is my profession which will remain with me until death,” Dr. Itto pledged.
One of the alumni, Hidita Scovia, expressed joy upon graduating and cautioned those who belittle midwives.
“Midwifery is seen as a small profession. They think when you join midwifery, you are a dull student. No. Midwifery means you are committing yourself to save human life whatever the difficulty is. In this life now, the midwife is the one who has a lot of tasks, a midwife monitors the mother from labor,” Hidita said. “If this mother did not give birth on the same day, she still keeps being awake the whole night to make sure that the mother is being cared for and delivery should be very safe with skills. Now for my colleagues who are still behind, don’t undermine midwifery.”
Janet Michael, the director-general in charge of Professional Training and Development in South Sudan’s health ministry said the graduation was a huge achievement that will address the acute shortage of health personnel in the Country.
“We are lagging in human resources for health and this is a big achievement. These new graduates will add to the number that is already existing. The more we have qualified personnel, we expect our health care system to improve,” Micheal said. “We expect that there will be qualified health personnel in every health facility and the community. Practice in a way that you will accept the same to be applied to you. Be ethical and serve with humility. You are serving people who are vulnerable and looking at you as a savior. Please serve them with love.”
The graduation was supposed to have taken place last year but was interrupted by the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.