By MILDRED KATONGO –

THE United Church of Zambia (UCZ) University College has set aside K50,000 to rehabilitate the Mbereshi School of Nursing in Luapula Province.
The nursing school that has not been operating for a long time would start functioning in September this year after the rehabilitation works are completed.
UCZ University College Rector, Reverend Kondolo Kapembwa said in an interview in Kitwe that the Church had resolved to complement Government’s effort in the health system by rehabilitating the school of nursing and training more health personnel.
Rev Kapembwa said the UCZ which owned Mbereshi School of Nursing was currently operating only as a hospital but was not active in terms of training nurses.
“We have a nursing school in Luapula but it is not operating because we were not active in terms of providing training, now we have realised that we need to complement Government’s effort in the health system. We will start rehabilitation works to reach the nursing school standards, we have something to start with,” he said.
He said about K100,000 was needed to complete the rehabilitation works and have the nursing school start operations.
Rev Kapembwa said part of the money was available, adding that well wishers would do well to contribute towards the project.
He appealed to Government to help in running the school by providing lecturers once the rehabilitation works were completed.
Rev Kapembwa said the Church alone cannot do everything but needed the full support from Government to efficiently run the nursing school.
“We are aware that there is need to have trained health personnel so we are going to be training nurses to add up to those that Government is training,” he said.