The National Health Training Institute in Maridi, Western Equatoria, has received a new intake of 105 students for the academic year 2014, after a delay of about half a year owing to the national crisis that started last December.

The government institute was established 16 years ago by AMREF with the aim of training clinical officers, community midwives and public health officers.

The new intake includes 35 students training as clinical officers and 70 training as midwives who are going to start classes later this month. They were identified by the Directorate of Training and Professional Pevelopment in the Ministry of Health.

Speaking to Maridi FM on Tuesday, Patrick Taban, the principle of the institute, said they have been long awaiting the new intake.

“This intake we have been long awaiting for it since the first of January of this year, and finally a final list was passed actually at the beginning of June that was on 2nd June through a press conference by the Honorouable Minister of Health in Juba.”

“And so far we have received the names of these students who are supposed to start reporting to school on 16th of this month,” he said.

Patrick added that the new intake has delayed much due to the current political situation in the country, pointing out that the institute missed the first semester, meaning the new students will have to start their first semester in June and continue their second semester next year in January.

The principal also added that the institute lost contact with donors who are supporting the school because of the political situation in the country. The principal further added that the institute also welcomes private students who want to join the institute.

Photo: Students of the National Health Training Institute of South Sudan (nhti-maridi.com)