SQA certifies NIHSS |30 November 2019
The National Institute of Health and Social Studies received its certificate of accreditation from the Seychelles Qualification Authority yesterday during a short ceremony at the Sheikh Khalifa Diagnostic Centre’s conference room at the Seychelles Hospital.
The ceremony was attended by Health Minister Jean-Paul Adam, chief executive of the Health Care Agency, Dr Danny Louange, director of the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS) Marylene Lucas, staff and students of the institute and other invited guests.
“Today represents the culmination of years of constantly working hard. I do not think we have ever worked that hard to get what we are going to receive today. At times it has been frustrating, tedious and the feeling we are overloaded with work. But we are a team and we did support one another in the pursuit of this worthwhile goal,” said Mrs Lucas.
As of October this year, NIHSS officially became an accredited institution and the ceremony was only to make it official.
“The fact that we will be in receipt of this very important document attests to the fact that in many ways, we as an institution are adhering to the strictest educational and administrative standards,” said the director.
She added that the school is moving forward with the development of an advanced diploma in health service management soon to be part of the programme being offered at the NIHSS.
The director ended her address by thanking all partners involved as well as Minister Adam and his management for lending their support at all moments.
On his part, Minister Adam remarked that NIHSS has continuously improved the quality of services offered in line with its mandate to offer training in fields of health and social work.
“Given the current challenges of attracting candidates to join health training programmes, the accessible programmes have provided a much-needed boost and alternative pathway for those who aspire a career in health,” said Minister Adam
He noted that since last year NIHSS has increased the number of social work students, taking a yearly cohort of 40.
The next phase of the many projects NIHSS will be implementing will be with the help of Chamberlain University, which will further strengthen the ability of the nursing faculty in particular to facilitate teaching at a much higher level. It will also add to the ever-growing number of graduates and post graduates in the field of nursing.
Christopher Zialor