Ministry offers 420 health scholarships

By Francis Kagolo                                                                 

A total of 420 scholarships are up for grabs at the ministry of health to study certificate in midwifery and diploma in medical laboratory technology.

The scholarships are offered by the ministry of health with funding from the Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation (Baylor Uganda) under a five-year memorandum of understanding aimed at fixing the rampant shortage of lower carder health staff.  

The US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) is bankrolling Baylor to implement the programme.

“We don’t have enough midwives in the country. That’s why we are offering scholarships in missionary training institutions to bridge the gap,” said Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, the director general of health services.

The 2009 Human Resource for Health Report showed that Uganda has one midwife for every 5,000 mothers. The World Health Organization recommends two midwives per mother in labour.

By 2010, Uganda was short of about 2,000 midwives, one of the reasons for the high maternal mortality rate then. At least 14 women died daily in labour in in the country.

The scholarship programme has benefited 1,469 students since its inception in May 2012, costing about sh7.9b, according to Masturah Chemisto, the spokesperson of Baylor Uganda.

Of the 420 scholarships announced this year, worth about sh2.3b, a total of 350 bursaries will support candidates intending to study midwifery while 70 are for medical laboratory technicians.

Rukia Nakamatte, the ministry’s spokesperson, said beneficiaries are bound to work for the Government for at least two years upon graduation.

To be eligible for admission to the certificate in midwifery, candidates must have passed Senior Four (S4) with at least passes in English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

On the other hand, one needs to have scored at least a principal pass in S6 Biology and two subsidiary passes one of which must be in Chemistry, to qualify for admission for the diploma in medical laboratory technology. Even holders of a certificate in medical laboratory techniques are equally eligible to enroll for the diploma course.

According to Nakamatte, the scheme targets students in hard-to-reach areas and regions with huge staff shortages.

These include Abim, Adjumani, Arua, Bukwo, Bundibugyo, Kaabong, Kalangala, Kanungu and Kisoro districts. The others are Kitgum, Kotido, Mayuge, Moroto, Mukono, Buvuma, Nakapiripirit, Pader and Agago districts.

Students in the districts of Lamwo, Ntoroko, Nwoya, Amudat, Napak and Namayingo will also benefit.

Interested persons have been advised to submit their applications to the respective health training institutions whose admission deadlines have not yet passed.

The institutions include Ibanda School of midwifery and comprehensive nursing and Ngora School of nursing and midwifery. Those interested in laboratory technology diplomas applicants should apply at Nsambya hospital, Ishaka Adventist hospital, Mengo hospital, Lacor and Kibuli laboratory training schools.