Advanced nutrition programme training in Luanda

The Post Graduate Center of the David Bernardino Paediatric Hospital hosted the first ever advanced nutrition training programme in the Equatorial Africa Region. A total of 30 paediatric and midwife nurses from Namibe, Cunene, Benguela and Lubango provinces in Angola attended the three-day training programme. Training was aimed at strengthening healthcare professionals’ knowledge and skills on proper management of mothers and infants in preventive and curative actions indicated in the various stages in the first 1 000 days of life. The period covers from pregnancy to the first two years’ of an infant’s life.

Attendees were keen to absorb all the knowledge passed on to them by respected key opinion leaders from the paediatric fraternity in Luanda. The leaders who addressed the delegates were: Dr Luis Bernardino (NNIA Board Member), DRA Paulina Manuel, Dr Miguel Calwamue, DRA Aida De Menezes, DRA Ondina Cardoso, DRA Vitória Do Espirito Santo, Dr Francisco Domingos, DRA Sandra Silva, and Dr Paulo Campos.

The training included a practical session of neonatal resuscitation where participants had an opportunity to practice with mannequins, enabling them to sharpen and refresh their knowledge and skills in this area of neonatal management. Special appreciation goes to the NNIA for sponsoring the training and partnering with David Bernardino’s Hospital to build capacity of the nurses in Luanda. This will go a long way in preventing and reducing infant mortality cases in Angola, which will contribute in reducing the overall infant mortality rates in Africa generally.