Eritrean nurses study for Dundee degree

by Lorna Numbers

In June 2003 the Distance Learning Centre in Nursing and Palliative Care was contracted for a project in the State of Eritrea. The prime objective was enabling 22 senior Eritrean nurses to graduate in advanced nursing studies.

Eritrea is a poor country, still emerging from the impact of 30 years’ bloody war with neighbouring Ethiopia. The students represent many branches of nursing and midwifery, including community and public health and also mental health. Some were barefoot doctors in the war years. All are qualified nurse teachers and the secondary objective for the project is the enhancement of nursing education overall, nurses being the most significant group of health care clinicians throughout the predominantly rural, multi-ethnic and profoundly independent country.

Despite the distance learning mode of delivery, the contract includes some face-to-face teaching, delivered in the capital city Asmara. On the first of these visits we were afforded a very warm and enthusiastic welcome.

The Minister of Health (himself a midwife as well as a marine biologist) explained to the assembled company of dignitaries the relevance of distance learning for Eritrea. His comments could have been extracted from the original terms of reference for the work of our Centre, which was initially set up to meet the needs of Scottish nurses! This was heart-warming; right away we could identify common interests which set the tone for what is becoming a very absorbing and productive opportunity. Students work incredibly hard; they readily acknowledge the fruits of their labours and are well on their way to achieving both of their objectives - in a much shorter timeframe, it must be noted, than our average student.

Concurrently the teachers are on an inspiring learning trajectory. Wider horizons, challenges to review and extend our skills and of course the opportunity to experience the charisma of an African country have also progressed us, in avenues we would never have imagined, just a year ago.