A total of 533 students have been admitted to the Ghana Armed Forces College of Nursing and Midwifery at 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

They comprised 126 Bachelor of Science in Midwifery and 407 Bachelor of Arts in General Nursing.

The event also coincided with the inauguration of a cafeteria, an office complex, a conference hall, a college entrance wall and a generator set to improve teaching and learning in the college.

Advice

The President of the National Defence University, Air Marshal Dr Felix Adom Asante, advised the students to uphold discipline and professionalism to support the country’s quest for universal access to quality health care.

He said the training of competent, disciplined and dedicated nurses and midwives was critical to strengthening the country’s healthcare system.

“Healthcare delivery remains a fundamental pillar of national stability and human development. Sustainable national progress cannot be achieved without a healthy population.

“In many communities, particularly in underserved areas, nurses and midwives serve as the first and sometimes the only point of contact for individuals seeking healthcare services,” Air Marshal Asante added.

He said their competencies and dedication directly influenced accessibility and quality of healthcare services across the country.

The president further said that the nursing profession demanded sacrifices, discipline and commitment, especially within the military environment.

“The profession you have chosen demands discipline, and you have to earn it,” he said, and cautioned that reciting the nurse’s pledge alone did not make one a professional.

“The academic and professional journey ahead will demand commitment, discipline and perseverance,” the president added.

Behaviour

A former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Rosemary Aboagye Boohene, also urged the students not only to strive for academic excellence, but also to demonstrate good character.

“Your admission is an achievement worthy of recognition, but it is also the beginning of a serious commitment to academic excellence, good character and responsible citizenship,” she said.

Prof. Boohene also encouraged them to remain focused and take advantage of the support systems available to them.

“The habits you form from today will shape the kind of graduates and citizens you become,” she added.

Infrastructure

The Principal of the College, Major Bright Attah Addae, said the provision of the facilities was necessitated by the institution’s transition into a degree-awarding college.

“This project was not undertaken merely for convenience.

It was undertaken as a matter of institutional necessity and strategic importance,” he said.

The principal explained that regulatory bodies required the college to provide standard infrastructure, including staff offices, a cafeteria and a conference hall, to meet accreditation requirements.

Major Addae, therefore, said the new facilities would enhance academic work, improve staff and student welfare, and strengthen the institutional capacity of the college.