THE Ministry of Health will be spending $500 million on the construction of a nursing school in Region Two, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony has disclosed.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony held for persons who recently completed the pharmacy assistant programme, he said that currently a tender is out for construction of the building.

He said that the building will be located in the compound of the Suddie Public Hospital and will provide training programmes for all categories of health workers.

“So, you will be getting a new nursing school and when we build the nursing school it will not be just for nurses, it will be a training facility for all these categories of workers … whether its pharmacy assistants, medexes or multi-tech, the building will host all this,” Dr Anthony said.

He added that the building will be equipped with simulation laboratories to facilitate training for the different categories.

“We want to see development here and it is going to happen. We also need people to take this seriously [and] join the health field,” Dr Anthony said.

Additionally, Minister Anthony said that more persons need to be trained to work in the health sector and he called on young people in particular to take up a career in the nursing field.

While emphasising the need for more nurses in Region Two, he used the opportunity to urge young people to start studying.

He also said that if persons have an interest in nursing but do not have the required Maths and English grades to enter the programme, then they can do a remedial course.

Dr. Anthony said that the Ministry of Health has tons of opportunities for young people and young people should grab them.

Persons who participated in the pharmacy programme had related that the lack of classroom space and access to laptops were among their challenges.

However, the health minister said that construction of the new nursing school will rectify these challenges and ensure that there is a more comfortable and conducive environment for learning.