12 Jan 2014

The Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) students have been asked to effectively and efficiently strive to acquire the relevant knowledge, skills and competence to use in serving and meeting the demands of the nation.

The chief health officer and health institute coordinator, Ms Galeagelwe Baikepi said during a prize giving ceremony at IHS on January 10 that the responsibilities of serving the country lied within the health sector hence the need to acquire more knowledge.

Ms Baikepi called on students to extend the motivation they display in their studies to the communities they would serve upon completion of their studies. She explained that since they were living in a competitive global world, it was necessary for students to continue with the motivational processes beyond the institution.

Ms Baikepi noted that the outstanding performance should boost the students’ pride, which in the long run would benefit all people. Furthermore, she said fruits from the hard work would build confidence and trust within the health sector, and eventually spread throughout the whole nation.

Ms Baikepi noted that as the confidence and trust grow, the quality of the health care system would also improve. She urged the student community to aim higher in their academic work and serve as mentors to other youth beyond the institution and also to embrace teaching and learning strategies of lifelong learning.

“Learning is a journey that students have just started and they should know that the sky is the limit and we expect them to move further than where they are now,” she said.

She said despite the Ministry of Health’s efforts to improve the profession, health workers still lack professional ethics. Their attitude, professional misconduct, poor service delivery and unbecoming behaviour amongst others are still a concern to government and the public in general, she added. The society, she said, expects to be served with dignity, respect, good conduct and be provided with good  and quality care.

She reminded the students that as the custodian of the profession, they have an obligation to protect and develop it. ENDS