The Ebonyi State College of Nursing Sciences Obtains Full Accreditation for its Midwifery Program
In Nigeria, there are strict accreditation standards set by professional regulatory bodies to ensure the delivery of high-quality health education to health workers. These strict standards can be difficult to meet for some institutions due to the significant costs involved and the need for adequate learning resources. Like other health training institutions, the public Ebonyi State College of Nursing Sciences (EBSCON) confronted several of these challenges when seeking the full accreditation of its midwifery program. For EBSCON, these challenges included outworn facilities, inadequate infrastructure without demonstration rooms or a well-equipped laboratory, and a lack of teaching aids.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Nigeria Health Workforce Management (HWM) Activity worked closely with EBSCON and its former Provost Reverend Sister Perpetua Ezejimofor to develop an Institutional Strengthening Plan (ISP). This plan identified the key gaps that EBSCON needed to address in order to receive accreditation. With unwavering commitment and tireless advocacy, Rev. Sister Ezejimofor strived to secure EBSCON’s future through the implementation of the ISP.
To mobilize the appropriate resources, the HWM Activity facilitated advocacy engagements between EBSCON and key stakeholders in the public and private sectors. During engagements with the public sector, Rev. Sister Ezejimofor identified a state budget line which could be utilized to provide the necessary funds for EBSCON to implement the ISP and secure their accreditation for its midwifery program. She shared an advocacy memorandum with Ebonyi State Governor Dr. Francis Nwifuru highlighting the importance of investing in EBSCON’s infrastructure. In response to these engagements and the memorandum, the Ebonyi State Governor approved the release of 27 million naira for the repairs and procurements identified in EBSCON’s ISP.
Following the completion of the ISP, including facility renovations, the NMCN has fully accredited EBSCON and increased the student enrollment quota for its midwifery program from 75 to 100 students. Full accreditation represents a significant milestone for EBSCON. With improved infrastructure and enhanced resources, EBSCON is now better equipped to provide high-quality education and training to its students, ensuring better health outcomes for their future patients.
Juliet Emeka Chinedu, the Dean of Student Affairs and Deputy Provost at EBSCON, shared, “Truly, the situation of our school was very bad prior to the past accreditation exercise; however, with the support of the USAID HWM Activity and others, we acquired the necessary items which helped us pull through the resource verification and accreditation visit of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria.”