Background/History
Sierra Leone is rated by the United Nations as one of the least developed nations in the world; the majority of the population lives on less than one dollar a day. Because of this high level of poverty, life expectancy is among the lowest in the world. One in every five children dies before they reach their fifth birthday. Most of the deaths result from preventable diseases such as malaria, typhoid, HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, etc.
Due to high levels of poverty, the vast majority of people do not have access to health delivery services. In many cases, even where these are available, they are hardly affordable. In most of the rural communities, villages are so remote that patients will have to walk for miles a day to access the nearest health delivery facility. In addition, there is an acute shortage of trained and qualified health personnel in the country and the few trained personnel are often reluctant to go and work in the remote rural communities where health needs are greatest.
The Regina Bangura School of Nursing will train and equip health workers who are prepared and willing to stay in rural communities and work with and among the poor as well as in urban settings.
Goals & Objectives
(a) To rehabilitate an existing eight classroom building that was once used as a Youth Vocational Training Center but abandoned when the war broke out in Sierra Leone in 1991.
(b) To transform a building that will provide classrooms, offices, a library, a computer room, and a laboratory on the ground floor while the top floor will provide a twenty-room hostel facility that will accommodate up to forty students at a time.
(c) To provide limited accommodation for deserving students who may find it difficult to get accommodation in town.
Activities Plan
PHASE 1 ? 2012
a.) Rehabilitation of facility to house the project.
b.) Procurement of furniture, equipment, and teaching materials/resources.
c.) Staff Training and recruitment.
d.) Develop a vision and mission statement.
e.) Prepare a brochure on the school.
f.) Formation of Board of Directors/Governors.
PHASE 2 ? 2013 ? 2015
a.) Official opening of school with the State Enrolled Community Health Nurse (SECHN) program of study.
b.) Rehabilitation of building currently occupied by Estate Officer to House Principal.
c.) Rehabilitation of annex to old dining hall to provide hostel for female students.
PHASE 3 -2016-2018
a.) Continue with and improve on the SECHN program.
b.) Introduce the Diploma in Nursing program (2017).
c.) Introduce the Community Health Officer's (CHO) program (2018).
PHASE 4 -2019-2020
a.) Continue and improve on all programs in phase 4.
b.) Introduce the Laboratory Assistants/Laboratory Technicians Program.
c.) Introduce the Pharmacy Assistants/Pharmacy Technicians program.
PHASE 5 - 2020 following
a.) Expand the physical infrastructure of the school including additional buildings.
b.) Incorporate the school into the United Methodist University.
c.) Change the name of the school from Regina Bangura School of Nursing to Regina Bangura School of Health Sciences.
d.) Continue with and improve on all programs in phased 4.
e.) Introduce Diploma in Nursing Education program.
f.) Introduce the Bachelor of Nursing program.
g.) Introduce the Master's program in Nursing.
h.) Introduce the Hospital Administration program.