Navrongo (UE) Feb.27 GNA - Students from five health training institutions in the Upper East Region at the weekend, were jointly matriculated in Navrongo, to start a formal induction into training in health and all associated health care delivery.

The matriculation had 1,085 students from the Community Health Nurses Training school in Navrongo, Health Assistants Training school, the Midwifery Training school, Nurses training college all in Bolgatanga and th= e Presbyterian training college in Bawku.

Dr Ken Sagoe, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) said Government had placed a high premium on the Health Service delivery, hence the reason why there was an increase in the number of health training institutions in the country.

He said Navrongo had positively influenced the health sector for the tremendous health interventions and research work it continued to do, notable among others were the Vitamin A study which had influenced the sector globally and the CHPS compounds which were started in Navrongo and replicated nation wide.

He asked the students to commit themselves to their studies and the dedicated services they would render to the communities they would be serving.

Dr Koku Awoonor- Williams Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, whose speech was read on his behalf by Dr Ernest Opoku, Deputy Director, Clinical Care, said the region had in the recent past faced huma= n resource challenges but was seeing tremendous improvements in the number of training institutions and number of students being enrolled and trained. He said, the attitude of some health providers remains a major public concern. To address these, he called for discipline to be enforced.

"The quality of teaching and learning in the schools therefore requi= red an unconditional commitment and enthusiasm of all stakeholders", he added= .. Mr Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, congratulated the management of health training institutions for braving the odds to produce the needed human resource and performance for the health care industry through their initiatives and innovations. He assured management of the institutions of the government commitment to over hauling the sector to withstand its challenges. "Government is resolved to providing the necessary infrastructure an= d equipment to enhance efficient service delivery," he said.