Centre for Nursing and Midwifery

The global shortage of nurses, currently at 5.8 million and projected to decrease to 4.1 million by 2030, continues to deprive low-income and rural communities of essential healthcare providers. These regions face as few as 9.3 nurses per 10,000 people, starkly contrasted with over 100 in high-income nations. This disparity is worsened by a 900,000 midwife shortage, threatening progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and resulting in preventable maternal and child deaths.

Nurses and midwives are the backbone of healthcare delivery, providing 90% of Sexual and Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (SRMNH) services and delivering over 80% of bedside care. Scaling up midwifery services has the potential to prevent 4.3 million maternal, newborn, and stillbirth deaths annually by 2035. It has been shown that improving Nursing and Midwifery leadership can advance health equity, support UHC, and foster economic development.

The Centre for Nursing and Midwifery is committed to transforming the health workforce through innovative, evidence-based approaches grounded in WHO’s Health Labour Market Framework and workforce planning tools for optimal staffing. Our initiatives focus on expanding capacity, improving retention, and promoting equity through:

1. MSc in Global Nursing Leadership: Empower future leaders with Sigma Nursing Global Nursing Leadership competencies to govern and drive transformative change in global nursing and midwifery practice.

2. Fellowship programs: Specialised fellowships in Critical Care, Global Leadership in Nursing and Midwifery, and Perioperative Nursing. These programs culminate in impactful capstone projects that foster giving back to communities through direct improvements in workplace quality and patient outcomes..

3. Accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Courses: To support lifelong learning to ensure nursing professionals remain at the forefront of clinical excellence and patient care.

4. Nursing Now Challenge Training: We have empowered Nursing Now Challenge Leaders from Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal, Tanzania, and Uganda to lead and spearhead continuous quality improvement initiatives within their countries, for sustainable health systems.

Our Centre for Nursing and Midwifery (CNM) delivers transformative programs that create undeniable value, inspiring global participation and driving change.  

1. Global Reach and Diversity: Our high-impact programs attract a competitive applicant pool, resulting in a vibrant expanding alumni network spanning 24 countries: Bangladesh, Bermuda, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, and Zimbabwe.  

1. Widespread Quality Improvement: Our programs have empowered over 4,000 end-users across nursing and midwifery education, practice, associations, regulation, and policy. Notable achievements include enhanced data quality, optimised patient flow, strengthened student support, streamlined regulatory processes, and the establishment of the first Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit and Intensive Care Unit at Butaro Level 2 Teaching Hospital. 

1. Community Health Advancements: Increased awareness of sexual and reproductive health among adolescents and young people, and expanded community screening for chronic conditions in Burera District, fostering healthier communities. 

1. Alumni Leadership and Visibility: Our alumni are trailblazers, producing manuscripts, delivering presentations at scientific conferences, and leading innovative programs in their workplaces. Many have achieved significant career progression since graduating. 

1. Support for Partner Organisations: We extend our expertise by supporting curriculum development, conference hosting and other initiatives for fellow organisations, amplifying our impact across the global healthcare ecosystem. 

Our faculty and students drive clinical, operational, curriculum development and health systems research, producing actionable outcomes, ensuring our findings translate into real-world solutions. Hence, strengthening healthcare delivery and supporting the progressive trajectory of Nursing and Midwifery professional pillars. Seized with a drive to dismantle health disparities with evidence-based precision, our faculty and students explore pressing issues, including:  

• Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health: Screening, mhGAP and Care Models 

• Innovative Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nursing and Midwifery Education and Interprofessional Practice 

• Nursing and Midwifery Leadership in Advanced Practice and Global Health 

Additionally, all learners who go through our fellowship programs complete quality improvement capstones, which have benefitted more than 4000 end users around Africa, Asia, North and Central America, and consolidated their transformational leadership competencies. As such, our alumni do not just join health systems but redefine them. 

At CNM, community engagement is at the heart of our initiatives. Our collaborative approach, inspired by the community-driven models, ensures that our work resonates beyond the classroom, empowering vulnerable populations with knowledge and care. To date, we have engaged more than 13,400 lives through community health education and screening programs, including sexual and reproductive health initiatives in surrounding schools, screening for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, eye health and cancer. We also support Nursing regulatory bodies, local and international universities and organisations in curriculum-related matters. 

By working with us, you are signing up for an academic program and committing to amplifying our impact in strengthening communities and building connected, healthier, more equitable futures. Enrolment with us is a big yes to a future where your leadership shapes global health equity and social justice.