Dr Robert Kuganab-Lem, Head of Department, School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences of the University for Development Studies has advised nurses to assess their strengths and specialize in meaningful areas in the medical field.

He said nurses should not limit themselves to offering general health care services but must be interested in majoring in the many areas of the specialization, such as, maternal, pediatrics, neonatal, midwifery, anesthesia, emergency and critical nursing.

Dr Kuganab-Lem, who gave the advice at the christening of this year’s week celebration of Nurse Practitioner Students Association in Tamale, on Monday, said the move could help improve health delivery in the country.

The week long celebration is on the theme: “The role of the Nurse Practitioner in reducing the incidence of hepatitis B and Sexually Transmitted Infection in the Northern Region”, and seeks to create awareness on the Hepatitis ‘B’ condition.

As part of the programme, the group would undertake various activities including health screening, cleaning, quiz competition, sports and health talk.

Dr Kuganab-Lem explained that the acquisition and the development of skill in the attainment of autonomy would make them more useful in the society and challenged students aspiring to be health sector workers to blend the theory and the practical training.

Dr Juventus Ziem, Head of Laboratory at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, who spoke on Hepatitis ‘B’, said children and males were more vulnerable to the condition, though there is an effective treatment to manage the condition.

He said about 90 per cent of people with the condition could be healed naturally when they take some precautionary measures but 10 per cent of people with the condition developed chronic liver related diseases.

Dr Ziem said one could contract the condition through unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person, the use of syringe that had been used by an infected person and sharing personal items, such as a toothbrush or razor, with an infected person.

He warned some health workers, who used unlicensed drugs to treat the condition thereby worsening the state of patients to desist from such practices.