Transforming African Healthcare : UNICITI unveils one year Top-up program for Nurses

Oluwatoyin Mathnuel

UNICITI International Education Hub in Mauritius, Swansea University of Wales on Friday unraveled a one year top- up program organized for nurses across Africa continent .

UNICITI Health Ambassador in person of Amb. Peace made it known to journalists at a media conference that such development has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare landscape across Africa as such a program was not just an academic endeavor but a transformative sojourn that would enrich nurses with skills, knowledge and international perspectives as the theme of the Nurses program reads ‘ A Pathway to Excellent ‘

In her speech; Amb. Peace clamoured on the one year program as a beacon of hope , pathway to excellence, commitment to a stronger Africa nurses with neither diploma not BSc in nursing.

With these, African nurses will receive classic , intensive training from Swansea University lecturers, an investment indeed in African healthcare future.

She was of the opinion that Africa faces significant challenges in healthcare, including brain drain and the loss of skilled professionals to other continents.

Amb Peace also disclosed that the program is a strategic initiative to curb the trend by providing nurses with the opportunity to advance their careers without leaving the continent and to strengthen Africa healthcare systems from within, ensuring that the best and brightest remain in Africa to serve our communities.

She maintained that the program would also directly address critical gaps in Nigeria healthcare systems by enhancing the quality of care delivered to the people.

Amb Peace noted that the nurses will be equipped with cutting-edge knowledge and skills, enabling them to provide care that meets the highest international standards that would in turn improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare disparities, and contribute to the overall well-being of the nations.

She therefore challenged parents, governments, healthcare institutions, and agencies to take action to contribute to the collective progress of Nigeria.

“The choice of Mauritius as the hub for this program is deliberate. UNICITI International Education Hub is a world-class facility that embodies the spirit of innovation and excellence. It is a place where African students can thrive, learn, and grow, supported by an environment that encourages both academic and professional development.

“This program, delivered by the prestigious Swansea University in the UK, will be hosted at the UNICITI Education Hub in Mauritius, a vibrant center of academic excellence.

“In just six weeks, we will begin welcoming students from across the continent, uniting them in a shared mission to elevate the standards of nursing in Africa.

We recognize that financial barriers often stand in the way of educational advancement, which is why we are offering an unprecedented 70% discount on tuition fees for the first 50 students who enroll. This makes the program accessible to a broad range of talented individuals, ensuring that finances do not hinder their potential. Beyond the financial benefits, students will also gain access to a global network of healthcare professionals, opening doors to countless opportunities during and after the training.

“As someone deeply committed to the health and education sectors in Africa,she was acutely aware of the challenges facing the African continent.

“I have witnessed firsthand the struggles of our nurses—working tirelessly, often with limited resources, yet always with unwavering dedication. This program is designed to honor their commitment by giving them the tools they need to succeed. It is an opportunity to invest in our future, to build a stronger, healthier Africa for generations to come.

“Sponsors and partners, this is your moment to make a lasting impact. By supporting this initiative, you are directly contributing to the empowerment of our healthcare professionals and the improvement of healthcare across Africa.

“The future of African healthcare lies in our hands. We have the power to shape it, to improve it, and to ensure that it serves our people with the highest standards of care.

“Let us seize this opportunity and work together to empower our nurses, transform our healthcare systems, and secure a brighter future for all” Amb Peace urges.

Contributing, a renowned United Nations (UN) Medical Consultant, Dr Ejike Orji charged practicing Nurses in Nigeria to enroll into the Top-up program for optimum healthcare service delivery.

He advised the program is one of the key things Nigerians should key into, saying not just Nigerians, the African continent as we are losing a lot of healthcare professionals to outside African continents.

“And what that means, we are losing what we call the health workforce, which is the bedrock of any healthcare system.

“The reason why Europe and America is snapping away our nurses and our doctors, our healthcare professionals, not just nurses and doctors, is because they want to make sure that they have a strong health workforce.

“The skills and ability for our people to transform beyond what we have now does not exist here anymore.

“So most people who leave the country, they leave because they want to improve their skills. But you and I know by the time they improve their skills, those countries they go to are not ready to accept them. And they become what we call global professional citizens, which means they can go anywhere and earn their living.

“But if we bake our own in Africa and make sure that we provide them the opportunities, they won’t leave the shores of Africa. And then if you look at the Swansea University training, the certificate you receive in Mauritius after the top up is the same certificate you receive if you went to Swansea University in Wales. So this is a big opportunity.

“And like I said, for almost half of my professional life in terms of being a physician and being in the international development space, I think I’ve worked with nurses and I know that if we build their workforce, build up their capacity, they will produce the health workforce that will be very important for the African nation or nations to succeed in bringing down the very bad health indicators that we have.

“So, ladies and gentlemen, this is my own input and I do hope that individuals and governments, legislators will want to improve the health care system of their own constituency. This is an opportunity, just a year’s program and they’re spending far, far less than what they would have been spending.

“And not only that, while they are working in Mauritius, there’s a possibility of them getting a work permit and they can work and also support themselves so that by the time they come back, they’re ready to run” Dr. Ejike concluded.