November 17, 2021: In a concerted effort to elevate the standards of healthcare professionals in Sri Lanka, Hemas Hospitals Nursing School upgrades to a fully-fledged academic establishment ‘Hemas Academy of Healthcare’ on the golden eve of its 10th anniversary.
Renowned for its well-rounded educational and training experiences, the Academy prides itself on offering internationally recognised National Vocational (NVQ) Qualifications accredited by the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) with guaranteed post qualification employment opportunities. This is aimed at improving the numbers of the qualified healthcare professionals within the country, at a time when Sri Lanka’s private healthcare sector is battling an acute shortage of trained medical professionals and increasing unemployment rates among youth.
“We are delighted to further strengthen and expand our portfolio of high quality, affordable educational offerings after ten years of producing over 1000+ qualified healthcare professionals who are competent and confident of handling the rapid ebb and flow of the healthcare landscape in Sri Lanka. Their extensive preparation has equipped them with all the skills and knowledge necessary to forge a successful nursing and healthcare career, while also cultivating within them the deeper values of their profession. These include oftentimes going beyond the call of duty and displaying the right attitude when dealing with patients. Further, by endowing the country with groups of trained professionals, we aim to reduce the high scores of rural unemployment among youth, empower them and raise their standards of living by opening a world of lucrative and fulfilling local and foreign employment opportunities,” remarked Dr. Lakith Peiris, Managing Director, Hemas Hospitals and Laboratories Group.
With strong syllabi developed in accordance to the regulations set by the Sri Lankan Vocational Training Authority, only those who have achieved three passes at GCE Advanced level subjects are admitted into the Academy for the 3-Year Nursing Diploma programme. Several top-tier consultant physicians, paediatricians and doctors serve as visiting lecturers, while students are also presented with a special financial allowance during their study period. Further, in conjunction with the Hemas Hospitals Group, the Academy operates arrangements to provide accommodation, food and other allowances to its students during their training period.
Amongst its other qualifications, the year-long Nursing Assistant Diploma requires the successful completion of GCE Ordinary Level examinations, as well a proficiency test and interview. A Level 4 NVQ Diploma is awarded at its end, while graduates are also given the opportunity to be employed at their choice of Hospital from among the Hemas Hospitals Group and are eligible for the full scale of employment benefits extended to the Hospitals staff at the end their training period.
A team of 100 students are recruited for one course at a time, with thirteen teams having completed their training already and engaged successfully in fulfilling healthcare professions. The Hemas Healthcare Academy plans to further expand its academic offerings with the introduction of several new courses in the fields of Laboratory Technology, Pharmacology, as well as Phlebotomy and Theater technician certifications. In addition to academic experiences, the Academy actively organizes various extracurricular projects to provide a wholesome academic environment for its students with art competitions, drama competitions, annual tours and training workshops scattered throughout the year.