The Bolgatanga Nurses Training College is confronted with accreditation challenges due to lack of proper structures to accommodate students and staff of the school. The school since its inception 50 years ago still operates in temporarily overcrowded structures as it also faces threats of eviction and encroachment by community members. This was made known by the Principal of the College, Mac Musa Mommin at the official launch of the Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association (GNMTA) week celebration in Bolgatanga. This year's SRC week celebration which is being marked with lots of activities is under the theme: “Teaching and Educating the Public their Health Needs: The Role of the Student Nurse”. Mr Mommin said the school over the years has failed to admit the required number of students due to infrastructural challenges, describing the facilities at the school as woefully inadequate. Other existing structures provided for the school are also in a deplorable state as some have developed serious cracks, thus affecting quality teaching and learning. He said the lack of staff accommodation remain a major priority concern and needs to be tackled with all the urgency it deserves. The situation he lamented requires prompt attention by all stakeholders as it has taken a toll on student’s academic performance and staff recruitment over the years. Mr Mommin therefore renewed his call on government through the Ministry of Health to intervene and ensure that the school is elevated to its high status as experienced in other sister colleges across the country. He moreover called on the Regional Health Directorate, the district assembly and benevolent organizations and NGOs to come to the aid of the school. The GNMTA/SRC President, Samuel Aniah Awuni, said the SRC week celebration is a period set aside in every academic year to celebrate the nursing profession and to sell out their credentials to the outside world. He said as care givers, the welfare of patients remains their number one concern and that the celebration will be used to educate the public on the need to adapt to healthy lifestyles as well as the dangers of HIV and AIDS. This, according to him would be executed with the support of other sister institutions through educational and other sporting disciplines. On the theme for the week's celebration, Master Awuni said nurses were not being trained to work in the hospital alone but to also owe it a duty to conscientize the public on disease prevention. He commended the entire administration for their effort in putting the school into good shape despite the challenge. The Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. John Koku Awoonor-Williams said his outfit had taken notice of the inadequate facilities at the school and pledged to address the situation as soon as possible. Dr Awoonor-Awoonor advised student nurses to put up their best and aim at a 100 percent pass rate for classes, adding that such a feat goes with an attractive award for each student from his office. He said the practice where students are in a hurry to get pregnant while in school or during orientation period, which is part of the training period is unacceptable and that appropriate sanctions would be meted out to students that fall foul to the practice. He said adherence to the ethics of the nursing profession is paramount and key to achieving the MDG 4and 5.
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