New health workers to boost sector

 THE Rabaul Community College in East New Britain recently graduated 60 community health assistants to work in aid posts, health posts and centres.

The college is a subsidiary of the Rabaul Business Studies accredited by the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations to offer courses for students selected under the Independent Fellowship Scheme.

The course covers 10 months of community health training after which students are sent to health posts.  

Later, they are required to live and work  in the community.

Between six months and one year after graduation, the students will be monitored and assessed to ensure they are competent in clinical procedures and environmental health.

This is the second batch of graduates from this course. The first batch is now completing second year at the Gaubin School for Community Health Workers in Madang. 

MPs are sponsoring students from their electorates to undertake the course as well.

Health boards too are sponsoring local students to boost manpower in the health services.

George Manoh who manages the programme at the Rabaul Community College said students not only learn clinical procedures but different levels of government and their functions, structures of the Government, management and book-keeping.