Ortom urges student nurses to strive for excellence

GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue has charged students of the Schools of Nursing and Midwifery, Makurdi, to strive for excellence in their studies so that they could proceed for degree programme in Nursing.

Ortom gave the task in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, Mr Tahav Agerzua, on Tuesday in Makurdi.

The governor gave the charge at the premises of the Schools while inspecting ongoing work on the administrative block and additional hostels.

According to the statement, the charge came on the heels of the announcement of the affiliation of the School of Nursing to the Benue State University for award of degrees in Nursing.

Ortom stressed that those who excelled in their exams could easily enrol for the new degree programme at the state university which would commence soon.

He assured the students that in spite of the financial challenges of the state, he would ensure completion of work on the ongoing projects.

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“You will recall that the National Universities Commission (NUC) conducted a research verification exercise in the institution in July this year preparatory to the commencement of the establishment of the Department of Nursing Science for the award of Bachelor of Nursing Degree.

“The development has brought to three the number of allied medical science courses offered by the Benue State University College of Health Sciences in addition to the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, MBBS degree.

“The other two courses are Human Anatomy and Human Physiology,” he said.

According to the statement, the Schools of Nursing and Midwifery were closed down for several years on account of decayed infrastructure and lack of requisite training facilities.

“My administration has reconstructed the two schools, upgraded their facilities as well as obtained reaccreditation, which have ensured the reopening of the schools,” he said.

Responding, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Msugh Kembe, expressed delight at Ortom’s intervention and commended the Governing Council and Senate of the institution for their commitment to the growth of the school.

He stated that the university during the Ortom administration had secured full accreditation for over 30 courses in the last one year.

Kembe said that the institution would soon introduce courses in radiography, physiotherapy and pharmaceutical sciences so as to provide the needed manpower for its teaching hospital.