Finally It’s Here: Nelson Mandela University Launches Medical School

December 1, 2021 Lucky Mzimkhulu South Africa 0

Finally It’s Here: Nelson Mandela University Launches Medical School

Finally, the dream that has been there for 75 years was fulfilled on Tuesday at Nelson Mandela University (NMU).

The Nelson Mandela University (NMU) has opened its Medical School. The medical school is only the tenth of its kind in South Africa and one of two in the Eastern Cape. It is also the first medical school launched since the dawn of democracy.

The Medical school will be at the university’s Missionvale campus and will accommodate 50 students. It is reported that 80 first-year students will be enrolled at the medical school in the 2022 academic year.

Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Blade Nzimande, MEC for health in the Eastern Cape Sindiswa Gomba, Mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay Eugene Johnson as well as Professor Zukiswa Zingela who serves as the Executive Dean of Health Sciences attended the opening ceremony.

A 30-second silence was obtained at the beginning of the ceremony in respect for the loss of human life during the pandemic, and the sacrifices made by healthcare workers in the pandemic.

The medical facility will help address the primary healthcare challenges faced in South Africa, while simultaneously educating the next generation of healthcare workers. The education and training these students will receive will enable them to compete globally but not move away from its goal of serving the communities in Gqeberha and its surrounding communities.

Minister Blade Nzimande says that as a country we should be proud that we are launching such an excellent facility. He dedicated his remarks to the late Professor Lungile Pepeta.

Pepeta passed away in 2020 before medical school. Nzimande said if the decision was taken to name the facility after the late professor he would support it.

Vice-chancellor Professor Sibongile Muthwa of NMU says it is a credit to all involved that the dream of the medical school at the university was realised. This as the opening of the facility was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. She conveyed her thanks to everyone involved including other institutions who collaborated and provided advice to NMU.

She added, “We hope that through such partnerships we will continue to discover groundbreaking socially responsive solutions to the vexing health challenges confronting our country, the African Continent and Globally”.

“Through the vision 2030 of our university, we affirm our commitment to change the world through humanising education opportunities, innovative and trust disciplinary research and transformative engagement. In doing so, while the human and capital investment is significant for us, the returns for public health education and research will be even greater through improved health outcomes in our local communities reaching a nation” declared the Vice-Chancellor.

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