In a quest to improve health service delivery in the country, Global Aids Interfaith Alliance (Gaia) has provided ICT equipment worth K53.8 million to four colleges of nursing to help in the teaching and learning of nurses.

The organisation is also running a nursing scholarship programme at training colleges such as Nkhoma, Trinity, St Luke’s and Kamuzu College of Nursing, a constituent college of the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences.

Jere (C) symbolically presents a printer to Mnyontho

Speaking on Friday after handing over the ICT equipment which included projectors, computers and printers to the schools, Gaia country director Joyce Jere said well-trained nurses are critical in providing quality services to the nation.

She said the organisation has this year provided 167 scholarships to needy students in the four colleges targeting 110 newly registered students.

Gaia received a $5 million (about K4 billion) grant from the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) to run the five-year scholarship programme.

“These scholarships have enabled us to educate more nurses who could not afford to pay school fees on their own. Some have already graduated and are currently assisting patients in various hospitals,” said Jere.

On her part, Trinity College of Nursing and Midwifery vice-principal Josephine Kabvala Mnyontho appreciated the support, saying the equipment will help meet modern demands of online teaching and learning,

“Most of the colleges are struggling financially and could not afford such equipment,” she said.

Mnyontho called for more support to the students, saying some of those that were left on the Gaia scholarship programme are dropping out of school.

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