20 GRADUATE AT CHRISTIAN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY 1ST GRADUATION

MBABANE – Twenty students graduated yesterday from the Swaziland Christian Medical University (SCMU) despite that it was opened in August this year.

Attempts by the university to open earlier where thwarted when the Ministry of Education and Training ordered its administration to close and to produce proof of accreditation from a recognised university.

This, however, did not stop students from attending class as they had already been learning since last year.
Yesterday, the 20 students graduated after attending an 18-month programme. The graduands included four medical doctors as well as 16 nurses who participated in an 18-month programme.

Each group enrolled for two separate 18-month programmes with some of the courses taken collectively. Two of the students, Dr. Pawelos Beshah and Nokwanda Nxumalo, a nurse, obtained distinctions in their fields of study.
The university’s newly appointed Vice Chancellor, Professor Dan Ncayiyane said it was the first time for a university to have graduates in the first year of its opening.

He commended students who took part in the programme.
Dr. Francis Aimuan, one of the lecturers, said the students enrolled for the programme last year.
He said the courses would help both doctors and nurses to provide quality care for patients. Despite disruptions last year resulting in the university being closed, the students managed to complete their programmes.

Nurses graduated with a certificate in family nurse practice whereas doctors graduated with a diploma in family medicine.
They were presented with certificates by the university’s Registrar, Njabu Dlamini, who is the also the former registrar of the Examinations Council.
Aimuan said students were taught on how to treat patients by also considering the family.

He said in the past, patients were treated on individual basis but that the course empowered medical practitioners to also look at the family of the patient.
Dr. Keith Michael, the Chairperson of the International Health Council in South Africa is also part of the Swaziland Christian University Council.
He is also the chairperson of the University Council.

Michael said despite many “storms” along the way, the university was reopened.
He lamented that the medical profession was now driven by success.

Michael said practitioners had slackened on service delivery because they were focussed on greed.
He said he was hopeful that the university, through its programmes would reintroduce compassion into the medical practitioner.
Michael said doctors should be driven by competence and compassion.

Cape Town University professor is Vice Chancellor

MBABANE – The Swaziland Christian Medical University (SCMU) appointed a former deputy vice chancellor of the Cape Town University, Professor Dan Ncayiyane, as its Vice Chancellor.

Ncayiyane is also the Editor in Chief of the South African Medical Journal. He was introduced during a graduation ceremony yesterday by the Pro-vice chancellor,
SCU is also a medical university whose establishment was the vision of Pastor Chong Young Kim, who is also a founder of SAIM High School situated not far from the university. Ncayiyane is a medical doctor by profession.

Professor Isabel Zwane, the University’s Registrar, introduced Ncayiyane as “an expert in everything”. Ncayiyane addressed students as well as graduands before congratulating them. In his speech, the new vice chancellor said it was important for Swaziland to have a medical university.

He said all over the world, governments supported medical universities because they were crucial for development. Ncayiyane said currently, many Swazis who want to study medicine leave the Kingdom to study in neighbouring countries.

He said once they complete their studies, they do not return but instead end up settling in those countries where they had been studying.
Ncayiyane said for this reason, it was imperative for the government to support the medical university.
He said Swaziland was the only country in the region which did not have a medical university.

Ncayiyane said countries such as Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa had medical universities, unlike Swaziland. He also said education generally can contribute to a country’s development.

Ncayiyane said countries like Korea entirely relied on education as they did not have minerals.
“They also experienced war as well as civil unrest but today, Korea is a first-world country,” said the Professor.

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