Luanda: A total of 940 nursing professionals completed post-basic specialist training courses during the 2024-2026 period, Secretary of State for Public Health Carlos Pinto de Sousa announced on Monday in Luanda. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 5th edition of the Post-Basic Nursing Specialisation Courses, the official said that, of the total number of graduates, 207 professionals received their certificates at the Luanda training centre. According to Angola Press News Agency, the specialisations include anaesthesia and resuscitation nursing, intensive care, surgical instrumentation, midwifery, child healthcare, and paediatrics. These areas are regarded as priorities for strengthening the response of hospital units to healthcare needs. Carlos Alberto Pinto de Sousa stressed that specialised training is an instrument for improving the quality and humanisation of healthcare services provided to the population, urging nursing professionals to invest in continuous training and uphold the dignity of the pr ofession. The Secretary of State mentioned that the training programme forms part of the Health Human Resources Training Plan for Universal Health Coverage 2023-2028 and aims at strengthening the capacity of the National Health Service. He also reported that the Ministry of Health revised and updated the curricula of the specialist courses in March this year. Adjustments were made to both the content and teaching workload, reducing the standard duration of training from 18 to 12 months. This change, already in force for the 2026-2027 training cycle, is intended to provide greater flexibility in the training of National Health Service personnel without compromising educational quality and is complemented by a period of practical internship training. The official reaffirmed the Government's commitment to increasing the availability of specialised professionals at different levels of healthcare, with a view to reducing regional disparities and improving services for the population. For his part, the president of the Angolan Nurses Association, Eduardo Cayangula, described the training as a valuable asset for the sector, particularly in the fields of paediatrics, intensive care, anaesthesia, surgical instrumentation, and maternal care. He defended the need to continue investing in the training and qualification of professionals, taking into account the expansion of the healthcare network and the continuous development of medical science and care techniques. Among the profession's challenges, he highlighted the shortage of nurses relative to the size of the population, working conditions, and the need to expand the healthcare network to reduce regional disparities. Graduate Izildo Zola, who specialised in surgical instrumentation, said the qualification would strengthen the ability of professionals to respond effectively in operating theatres. He explained that the field requires technical expertise, precision, and specific care during surgical procedures, describing the completion of the course as a new stage in h is professional career. The post-basic nursing specialisation programme is a strategic training initiative of the Ministry of Health, covering the country's various provinces, and aims to train 9,000 specialised nursing technicians by 2028. During the 2024-2026 period, 940 professionals were trained in 8 specialisations, namely anaesthesia and resuscitation, surgical instrumentation, intensive care, midwifery, paediatrics, child healthcare, nephrology, ophthalmology, orthotics, and prosthetics.
