A batch of 26 charged nurses and nursing officers of Dialysis Units of public health institutions, received their certificates, today, after successful completion of a six-month course in Nephrology. The award of certificates ceremony was held at the Mauritius Health Institute (MIH) in Pamplemousses.
The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, the Senior Chief Executive of the Ministry, Mrs Devi Chand Anandi Rye Seewooruthun, the Executive Director of the MIH, Dr Geeta Daby, and other personalities were present.
On this occasion, the Health Minister also proceeded with the launch of the course in Nephrology for a second batch comprising 28 dialysis nurses.
In his keynote address, Dr Jagutpal stated that the Ministry in collaboration with the MIH advocate ongoing learning and professional development of health professionals through different training courses and programmes with a view to provide quality healthcare services. "Continuing professional development is essential for a nurse and for any healthcare professional", he stressed.
To this end, he indicated that the Ministry laid down an amendment to the Nursing Council Act 2003 to provide for mandatory Continuing Professional Development Courses (CPD) or training programmes for registered nursing professionals in the Finance Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2021.
Speaking about the course, the Minister pointed out that it targets nurses who reckon at least five years of service in Haemodialysis Units and aims at improving the quality of kidney care and dialysis services in regional hospitals.
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Kidney disease requiring dialysis, he said, has been on an increasing trend since the last decade and the number of haemodialysis carried out has almost doubled compared to 10 years ago in Mauritius, hence the importance of improving health services. It is integral for hospitals to expand their services and the health staff to be engaged in CDP, he added.
Minister Jagutpal expressed gratitude to the nephrologists and the National Dialysis Coordinator who were responsible for the teaching of the course comprising several modules. They are: assessment of kidney function; fluid and electrolyte balance; Covid-19 and dialysis care; renal diseases such as diabetes and hypertension; and renal transplant.
He commended the dedication of nurses who have successfully completed the courses. There are some 4,500 nurses engaged in different fields of healthcare in Mauritius and Rodrigues as well as in Agalega, who are working relentlessly to provide healthcare services to the public, he recalled.
As for Dr Daby, she stated that there is a constant and regular increase in dialysis and renal failures causing diabetes and hypertension. It is important for nurses to be well versed with the various aspects in nephrology so that they are in a better position to take care of patients. The training, she pointed out, kick started in October 2021 and was carried out partly through videoconferencing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She reiterated the determination of the MIH to continue empowering healthcare staff though learning and training programmes.
