NIHSS churns out 57 more health professionals |11 March 2017

• Lindy Legras wins outstanding student award

Fifty-seven new health professionals graduated yesterday after completing various courses at the National Institute of Health and Social Studies (NIHSS).

Lindy Legras, who studied for a Diploma in Social Work, was declared ‘Outstanding Student’ during the institute’s graduation ceremony for the year 2016 held yesterday afternoon.

She received her trophy (the President’s Cup) from Designated Minister Macsuzy Mondon, who was deputising for President Danny Faure.

Among the 57 graduates, 14 received an Advanced Diploma in Midwifery, 20 a Diploma in Social Work, 11 received a Diploma in General Nursing, 9 received a Diploma in Environmental Health Sciences and 3 were awarded a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister for Health and Social Affairs Jean-Paul Adam, principal secretary for health Dr Bernard Valentin, the director of the NIHSS Marylene Lucas, staff of NIHSS and parents.

After winning the President’s Cup, an emotional Lindy Legras, who is currently working as a counsellor at Glacis primary school, stated that her determination is what led her to succeed in spite of all challenges.

“I am really pleased to have won such award. All of my sacrifices spent in books and projects have finally paid off. I took part in many activities that the school organised, and handed all my work on time. Since I was a mature student, I was also able to help the younger and less experienced students,” she said.

As prizes Mrs Legras received a laptop, a voucher from the Seychelles Trading Company (STC), a university scholarship sponsored by the Agency for National Human Resource Development (ANHRD), among others.

Other than the outstanding student award, a best performer and best in practice award were awarded to students who have excelled academically in their respective fields and practices.

Siobhan Rachel and Vanessa Bristol were the best performer and the best in practice respectively for Diploma in Nursing, while Angie Denys and Hendrica Rose were the two best in Diploma in Environmental Health Sciences.

Sheena Azemia and Corinne Evenor were the two best respectively in the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences, while for the Diploma in Social Work, Lindy Legras and Christine Flore were the two best students.

Juliette Spiro and Nathalie Mathiot were the two best respectively in the Diploma in Midwifery.

The award for the student who has showed the best effort went to Aaron Barrack, a student who followed a Diploma in Nursing.

The award for best person centered-care student went to Vanessa Bristol, also a student from the Diploma in Nursing.

Congratulating the students, Mrs Lucas stated that the knowledge that the students have gained during their three years will enable them to perform well throughout their career.

“As a health and social work training institution, NIHSS prepares students to view people as people, not as diseases or problems. The professionals leaving NIHSS have been trained to see the people that they will serve in the context of their daily lives, to see them as forming a valuable part of a family, a community and a nation,” she said.

It is good to point out that 90 percent of the teaching staff at NIHSS has at least a first degree and many a second degree as well.

The school is also in discussion with the Chamberlain College of Nursing in the USA to provide a Masters in Nursing course for six lecturers and seven nurses.

Twenty in-service nurses have also been identified to undertake BSc training through the NIHSS partnership programme. 

Many of the students who have successfully graduated are already in employment.