A $140.8 million simulation centre intended to strengthen the practical training of nursing students and other healthcare workers has been commissioned in Region Eight.
The facility, which cost $140,848,000, was commissioned at Mahdia on Saturday by Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony. The Ministry of Health said its establishment forms part of the government’s efforts to expand healthcare training opportunities and build a skilled workforce across the country.
The centre is designed to provide students and healthcare workers with hands-on training in nursing and other health disciplines. Trainees will be able to develop and refine essential clinical skills in a controlled environment before applying them while caring for patients at health facilities.
Delivering the feature address at the commissioning ceremony, Anthony said the centre would address an important component of nursing education by allowing students to complete the practical aspects of their training within the region.
“Whether it’s learning how to give an infusion, find a vein, deliver a baby, whatever the skill we require each nurse to know, this facility will enable it,” he said. “We are not only going to train nurses; we are going to train other categories of healthcare workers.”
Anthony said that while theoretical knowledge remains important, healthcare professionals must also possess the practical competencies required to perform effectively in clinical settings.
According to the minister, the centre will therefore play an important role in ensuring that trainees are better prepared to apply their knowledge and skills when treating patients.
Anthony said the ministry was pleased with the completion of the facility, which he described as another boost to healthcare development in Potaro-Siparuni. By expanding training opportunities within the region, he said, the initiative would help to create a stronger local healthcare workforce and provide opportunities for residents interested in pursuing careers in the health sector.
The minister also highlighted other investments intended to transform healthcare delivery in Region Eight, including the Kato Hospital, which is currently under construction.
He said the hospital would be the first state-of-the-art facility of its kind in the region and would significantly improve residents’ access to quality healthcare. The ministry intends to develop the workforce required to operate the hospital by training and employing persons from Region Eight, he added.
The establishment of the simulation centre complements that objective by providing healthcare workers with the practical training required to serve at facilities across the region.
Also attending the commissioning ceremony were Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Pauline Sukhai; Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Zulfikar Ally; Regional Health Officer Dr Talitha Cort; Mahdia Mayor Eslyn Hussain; Director of Health Sciences Education Chandroutie Persaud; Director of Regional Health Services Dr Cerdel McWatt; and other officials.
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