By Nangamso Mabindla
5 April 2005

THE provincial Department of Health opened the Lilitha College of Nursing on Monday April 4 at a ceremony held at the East London Health Resource Centre.

The college combines nursing schools from the Walter Sisulu, Fort Hare and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Universities and aims to improve primary health care and the department's service delivery by producing quality nurses.

Speaking at the ceremony, the MEC for Health in the Province, Bevan Goqwana, said the inauguration of the college was a historic event for health care in the province.

"This college should train nurses that will cater for the needs of the province's people. We need to improve our health care especially primary health care; I'm sure this college will cater for those needs," said Goqwana.

He urged the 3000 student nurses enrolled at the college to grab the opportunity with both hands. "You should put the needs of the people ahead of your own. I hope that this college equips you with skills to deal with the many challenges that you will face in the future," he added.

The college will have 160 lecturers and will offer a Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery. It will have campuses in, Port Elizabeth, East London, Queenstown, Mthatha and Lusikisiki in the Transkei.

Yandisa Mfeya the college's Council Chairperson said the college came at the right time when the province's heath care system was set to undergo transformation.

"We hope that the college will encourage transformation and create good communication between the health care workers, students and the department," he said.