Chinoruma Nedwici is the nurse in charge of Ndagi Maternity Ward in Zimbabwe. A beneficiary of the Leadership Management and Governance (LMG) programme, Nedwici narrates how the training has reshaped her roles as a health care provider.
“I was nominated from my province to undergo the LMG training. I learnt a lot through the training including situation analysis, coaching and mentorship, conflict management and resolution, data analysis, resource mobilisation and advocacy,” she asserts.
In her role as a nurse manager, Nedwici is charged with ensuring all mothers and children get quality services at the health facility.
The training has enabled her to perform this role much better as she is now equipped with skills that assist her in planning, monitoring, and evaluating activities at the hospital. She is also able to plan better for the future using data analysis techniques, and the resource mobilisation comes in handy when it comes to lobbying for resources to cover deficits.
“Since the training, I have been able to effect many changes at my place of work. I am now able to resolve conflicts much better than before and arrange for coaching and mentorship of junior staff who become more effective in their work. Also, I am now better equipped to deal with gender issues that arise at the hospital,” Nedwici explains.
An incredible aspect of the project has been the involvement of the community in participating in health issues. This has created good rapport with health practitioners as the community develops a strong feeling of ownership of the health care system.
“When the community gets involved in health care, they become aware of the challenges we faced, and were more than willing to help. They even contribute resources that we are able to use to fill in any gaps we might have,” Nedwici reveals.
All in all, Nedwici hails the LMG training as having turned her into a more result-oriented health care provider since she is now able to apply the skills she learnt to handle any situation that arises. “The solution analysis and data analysis means that I am now able to understand problems that we face at the facility better and come up with solutions that are supported by data that I have,” Nedwici says.
Nedwici has witnessed the availability of resources due to resource mobilisation save lives firsthand. “We used to struggle with complications such as postpartum bleeding and eclampsia, but now, since we have the needed materials and medicines, we are able to handle such situations easily, Nedwici explains.
By Dinah Karwitha