Health honours nurses for successfully completing Nimart programme

More than 600 professional nurses who had successfully completed a programme in Nurse Initiated Management of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (Nimart) were honoured during a graduation ceremony hosted by the Department of Health at Bolivia Estate last Thursday.
Departmental spokesperson Neil Shikwambana said the Nimart programme was the brainchild of the national Department of Health which seeks to capacitate professional nurses working with HIV/Aids patients targeting mostly primary health care based in rural areas across the province.
When conferring the certificates to the graduates, Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba reportedly said since the programme started back in 2010 the department has managed to transfer HIV/Aids patients from hospitals to local primary health care facilities. She further stated that through the programme professional nurses received a comprehensive training on how to accept, diagnose and manage patients in all rural facilities. She expressed the belief that the programme will go a long way in ensuring that the province meets the 90-90-90 national strategy fight against both HIV/Aids and Tuberculosis.
“As a province we are moving in the right direction in achieving the goals as set out in the national strategy. Through the programme patients are now able to collect their medication at their local clinics. The programme plays a significant role in increasing life expectancy for our HIV positive patients and also on accessibility of antiretroviral (ARVs) throughout the universities, correctional services, Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges as well as non-medical sites in the province,” explained Ramathuba.
A day before the graduation ceremony Ramathuba also honoured the top six students during a gala dinner held at Protea Hotel Ranch Resort. The top six performers are Regina Tshakuma from Moletlane clinic, Tendani Mphaphuli from Eisleben clinic, Refilwe Moagi from Julesburg, Christina Ngwatje from Bolebedu, Mpho Mashatana from Hlogotlou and Freda Masemola from Manyima.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za