Country facing shortage of nurses

 THE country is facing a serious shortage of nurses, a health officer says.

Acting Southern Highlands health adviser Michael Mombu told people at the Momei Oval in Mendi, Southern Highlands, on Monday, during the opening of the Nurses Symposium that the output from nursing colleges continued to be low.

Mombu said Southern Highlands lacked nursing staff and the number of nurses passing out from the Mendi School of Nursing could not cater for the demand for nursing services in the province.

He said the number of intakes at nursing colleges would increase if the Government built more classrooms, dormitories and improved facilities. There were low intakes because of limited space and facilities at the colleges, he said.

“Health facilities in the rural areas are run by community health workers which should have been run by nurses,” he said. “And this is a problem the country is facing.”

He said the symposium should discuss issues and present research papers and hope that by 2014, the country would see some changes in the health sector.

He said people in the rural areas had not seen changes in the health centres and aid posts because many were still looked after by community health workers.

Mendi district administrator James Embiap said people should look after their health to help minimise health costs in the country.

“The country is facing a serious health issue. That issue can only be solved if the government, stakeholders and the people work together,” he said.