Know More About College of Nursing, Amichi

The establishment of the College of Nursing at the Diocesan Hospital, Amichi was borne out of the burning desire of His Lordship, The Rt. Rev’d. Ephraim Okechukwu Ikeakor to provide first class affordable healthcare to the people of Nnewi South Local Government Area and its environs as well as the need to boost the availability of qualified manpower for Nursing.

The journey started so many years ago when Akulueuno Social Club of Nigeria, Amichi saw the need to build a hospital to take care of the health needs of the people of Amichi and the surrounding communities. The hospital built by the club was officially opened on 2nd January, 1982 by His Excellency Alhaji Usman Aliu Shehu Shagari, the then President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the company of the Executive Governor of Anambra State at the time, His Excellency, Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo.

Due to the dwindling resources of the club, they could not cope with the financial burden of maintaining the facility. Hence, it began to deteriorate. To save the hospital from total collapse, it was handed over to the Anglican Diocese of Nnewi. Upon the creation of the Diocese of Amichi in 2009, it inherited a vastly dilapidated and moribund facility. Since the hospital was officially handed over to the Diocese of Amichi in 2012, the Diocese under the Episcopal leadership of His Lordship, The Rt. Rev’d. Ephraim Ikeakor has invested massively in the reconstruction and resuscitation of the facility that was in a state of near collapse. Members of the Amichi Diocesan Council of Knights rising from their retreat from the Ibru Center in Agbarah-Otor in 2012 mobilized funds for the aggressive re-roofing of the existing structures. The then Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi who attended the Diocesan Synod same year pledged to partner with the Diocese in repositioning the hospital. True to his words, he has contributed in no small way to the restoration of the hospital to its present state.

With standard facilities now in place at the hospital, Bishop Ikeakor envisioned that there is need to march quality structures and standard equipment with the commensurate quality manpower. Instead of continuing with the trend of recruiting auxiliary nurses, he opted for the training of qualified nurses who would go through the conventional process of nursing education. Governor Peter Obi again played a major role by giving executive approval for the establishment of the College of Nursing and Midwifery in Amichi. To God be the glory that in the tenure of the present administration under the leadership of His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, the State House of Assembly finally passed the bill establishing Mission College of Nursing and Midwifery in Anambra State.

The proposal for the establishment of College of Nursing and Midwifery was first presented to the Diocesan Board by the Bishop, The Rt. Rev’d. Ephraim Ikeakor and it was widely accepted. This occasioned the setting up of a steering committee to pursue the establishment of a College of nursing in Amichi. Having secured the Board’s approval, the Diocese vigorously pursued the building of structures for the College. Today, the administrative/classroom block has been completed and fully equipped for academic activities. A three storey female hostel block and a two storey male hostel block are fully completed and is being equipped for students habitation.

Between 2014 and 2017, the Diocese worked so closely with the Anambra State Council of Nurses and Midwives to put in place facilities that will facilitate the accreditation visit. The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Abuja in March, 2017 came on an advisory visit setting the stage for the main accreditation visit.