PHOTO: New graduates at the colourful ceremony
By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
ZWEDRU, Liberia- The Deanna Kay Isaacson School of Midwifery has graduated 30 students who completed their required courses and are fully prepared to serve the Liberian people through the various clinics, hospitals across the Country under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Health.
The Deanna Kay Isaacson School of Midwifery (DKISM), formally Midwifery Training Program Southeastern Region (MTPSER), was established in 1983 by the Ministry of Health supported by UNICEF Liberia and CHAL headed by the late Miss. Deana Kay Isaacson.
This school was established to cater to the lack of trained health workers especially Midwives in southeast Liberia.
It has been operating for 7 years now and it has graduated scores of certified Midwives who are all assigned in the southeastern region. Since its establishment in 2010, the institution has graduated 410 students, with 30% being males.
During Liberia’s 14-year civil conflict, Midwifery Training Program Southeastern Region (MTPSER) like some high institutions of learning was destroyed.
In 2008, the MccallMac Bain Foundation (MMF) provided funding through Merlin with the collaboration of Liberia’s Health Ministry to re-establish the training program in Duogee Town,Grand Gedeh County.
This year’s colorful graduation ceremony was held at School Campus just few miles outside of the County’s Capital Zwedru.
The graduates are from the six southeastern counties which include Grand Kru, River Gee, River Cess, Maryland, Sinoe and host Grand Gedeh.
This year graduation convocation was dominated by students from the southeastern County of Grand Gedeh and next by Grand Kru.
This news outlet, www.newspublictrust.com has learned that this year’s valedictorian, Miss.Dianna T. Toe hails from the host County, Grand Gedeh and earlier graduated from the N. Nixon Garlo Lutheran High School in Zwedru.
According to the Acting Program Director and Program Manager, Wilson Jose Tarwille, the graduates will positively impact the Liberian Health Sector especially in the southeastern region.
Mr. Wilson described the students as competent and said they have the potential to boost the health sector in the southeastern region and Liberia at large.
Acting Program Director Tarwille disclosed that salaries of instructors at the institution are not sufficient and teaching staffs are decreasing because of age and death.
Mr. Tarwille then used the occasion to appeal to government of Liberia and its partner Including INGOs and NGOs for more Budgetary allotment to the program.
He expressed thanks and appreciation to the government, Partners In Health and the United Nations Population Funds *UNFPA) for their involvement and Support to the Program.
“We are where we are because of our Commitment and loyalty to impacting our people lives,on this graduation day I want to make an appeal to people of goodwill to come to our Aide and Support our program.”
Partners In Health says maternal mortality massively reduced
Delivering the keynote address, Partners In Health Deputy Executive Director, Voila Karanja said she was happy that health workers and partners have massively reduced maternal mortality in southeastern Liberia.
Madam Kanraja urged graduates of the Deanna Kay Isaacson School of Midwifery to serve everyone equally and with respect, “”.
She spoke on the theme: Reducing Maternal Mortality in southeastern Liberia.
She stressed that delay in reaching Health care facilities leads to death, bad roads Conditions, long distance and geographically location also delayed in getting health care services.
“You have been trained, you have the knowledge and we are very proud of you and we believe that you will serve wholeheartedly.”
Madam Kanraja noted that maternal deaths have dropped from 10.5 to 7.5 globally and this shows massive work.
“Always advocate for your patients, speak for them and always work with the health authorities in your area. In whatever you do remember safety be effective go save lives and serve Liberia,”
For his part, Grand Gedeh County Superintendent, Kai Garlo Farley praised authorities of the Deanna Kay Isaacson School Of Midwifery for impacting knowledge into sons of daughters of the southeast to serve the Liberian people in this part of the Country.