IGANGA, UGANDA: His Majesty the Kyabazinga of Busoga William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope Kadumbula IV has expressed joy over the achievements realized by Lubega Institute of Nursing and Health Professionals at Buseyi village, Nakalama Sub-county in Iganga district.
The Kyabazinga who is the Institute’s Chancellor was on Friday officiating at the 3rd graduation ceremony where at least 376 students graduated in various courses at the main campus in Buseyi, Iganga district. The students graduated with certificates in; enrolled nursing, midwifery, laboratory technology, records and information management and pharmacy.
“I’m pleased to be here for the third graduation ceremony and I want to express my appreciation to the board of directors and various people including the advisors who guided me to start this institute. In our nation Uganda, we still need health workers to treat our people because we want you alive and I take this chance to applaud this institution for trying hard to produce such people which will help to bridge the gap,” Kyabazinga said before commending the institute for employing a good number of people which has improved their incomes.
He ascertained that Gabula block was at the foundation last year when he officiated at the second graduation ceremony expressing pleasure that it’s a sign of development because the flat is pending roofing.
The Kingdom through the Kyabazinga pledged a continued strong relationship with the institute pointing out that it has been key in giving out bursaries to children in underprivileged families across the sub-region through the kingdom education office. By last year, the institute had given out at least 100 bursaries to Busoga Kingdom and 31 beneficiaries were part of last year’s 2nd graduation ceremony.
“We shall continue to strengthen our relationship with Lubega Institute of Nursing and Health Professionals given your commitment to serve people in Busoga and beyond. This institute through it’s executive director Prof Dr Muhamadi Lubega Kisambira has always given out bursaries to Busoga Kingdom which have granted an opportunity to our children with poor backgrounds to study,” His Majesty emphasized,
The Kyabazinga in a special way thanked parents for educating their children and appeal to them that they should guide them to continue as good members of society wherever they are going. He stretched out to graduates calling upon them to advance and not end at certificates and diplomas but also add on the existing degrees in Busoga and Uganda as a whole.
The executive director of Lubega schools Prof Dr Muhamadi Lubega Kisambira told Daily Express that a total of 376 students graduated in various courses whom he presented to the chancellor to be conferred awards.
“Mr chancellor today we have a total of 376 students graduating. We have 19 students graduating with certificates in records and information management, 40 students graduating with certificates in pharmacy, and 41 students graduating with laboratory technology, who are our pioneer students of the Lubega School of Health Professionals. We have 83 students who are now professional and qualify to be awarded certificates in midwifery and 193 for certificates in enrolled nursing,” Dr Lubega presented.
He commended a number of partners who have worked with them closely to uphold the vision including the Busoga Kingdom. He pledged his continuous commitment to serving the country by producing reliable and responsible people who will strive to love and serve the community.
The function attracted representatives from both licensing and examining bodies of the institute which included; the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examinations Board, Uganda Allied Health Examinations Board, Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board(UBTEB), Ministry of Education and Sports plus the Directorate of Industrial Training(DIT).
The executive secretary of Uganda Business and Technical Examination Board(UBTEB) who was represented by Mr Geoffrey Kawanguzi, the deputy executive secretary of finance, administration and human resource congratulated the institute upon the graduation and rallied graduates to make use of competence obtained and make contributions to the labour market and enrol for further studies.
The function was attended by the first Deputy prime minister of Uganda Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga who commended the administration for supporting the health sector, and government plus developing human capacity for supporting the people by creating a market for them and giving young children the opportunity to study from a nearby area.
“I want to thank the administration for supporting the health sector of Uganda plus developing human capacity for supporting the people by creating a market for them and giving young children the opportunity to study from a nearby area,” Kadaga said briefly before saying she looks forward to the day when the institute will pass out graduates with degrees and additional diplomas.
The Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramathan Mubaje urged all graduates especially those who took oaths of nurses and Midwives to take it seriously and avoid behaving contrary.
“The oaths you have taken are vital and powerful especially when holding the holy books, so you should strive to serve the people without moving contrary to your professionalism,” Mufti Mubaje said before giving a story about a medical practitioner in a Kampala-based government health centre who ignored a patient because he arrived late at the facility after the appointed time.
Meanwhile, Mubaje assured Muslims of good leadership at the national supreme council under their chairman Dr Lubega whom he said is an asset not only to Busoga but Uganda and the world as a whole. He also commended the institute for giving them 2 bursaries to every Muslim region annually and tasked regional assistants to Mufti to choose the underprivileged children to benefit. He reaffirmed that Busoga Kingdom gave them 4 acres of land to set up a regional Muslim headquarters at Igenge in Jinja.
The graduation ceremony attracted among others, Busoga premier Dr Joseph Muvawala and his deputies i.e. Dr Lubega and Owek Osman Ahmed Noor, cultural and religious leaders, Members of Parliament, RDCs, local government leaders in Busoga and parents.
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