The International University of Cuanza (UNIC), through its Faculty of Health Sciences, organized a wide-ranging program of academic and community activities on May 9, 11, and 12 to mark International Nurses Day, bringing together students, faculty, healthcare professionals, and community members in initiatives focused on health promotion, practical training, and social responsibility.
The activities incorporated the Service Learning pedagogical model and the project CLINICALSIM co-funded by the European Union’s, an initiative focused on modernizing nursing education through advanced clinical simulation and evidence-based training.
The program included a Primary Care Health Fair, a roundtable discussion on the role of nurses in disease prevention, an advanced clinical simulation session in partnership with the Bié Higher Polytechnic Institute (ISPB), and a social outreach initiative at the Elavoco Ly’Omwenho Nursing Home in Cuito. The celebrations began on May 9 with a Health Fair held at the Shoprite location in Cuito. The event was attended by 71 students and 10 faculty members from the UNIC School of Health Sciences.
During the event, blood pressure screenings, rapid malaria tests, blood glucose tests, and health education sessions were conducted, totaling 246 consultations with residents from 42 neighborhoods and localities in Bié Province.
The data collected indicates strong participation from the urban population, particularly in the Military Neighborhood, which recorded 27 consultations, corresponding to 10.98% of the total. This was followed by the Ndongua neighborhood, with 20 participants (8.13%), and the Azul II, Chissindo, and Piloto neighborhoods, with 18 consultations each, equivalent to 7.32%.
According to Dr. Leonardo Hernandez, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, the high level of community participation confirms the importance of community-based initiatives in health promotion and disease prevention, especially in areas with high foot traffic.
The data collected during the fair will also be used within the Clinical Sim project to develop clinical simulation scenarios tailored to the epidemiological and social profile of the local population.
On May 11, UNIC held a roundtable discussion at the Mumbué Building on the topic “The Role of Nurses in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. ”The event brought together 114 students and 6 faculty members from UNIC’s Faculty of Health Sciences, as well as 2 professors and 12 students from the Bié Higher Polytechnic Institute, strengthening academic cooperation among higher education institutions in the province.
The discussion focused on topics related to education for healthy lifestyles, malaria prevention, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, treatment adherence, humanization of care, and the ethical responsibility of nursing professionals.
For the organizers of the initiative, the roundtable provided an important forum for reflection on the challenges of primary care and the strategic role of nurses in building healthier communities.
Also on May 11, UNIC’s Clinical Simulation Laboratory hosted an Advanced Clinical Simulation session developed in partnership with the Bié Polytechnic Institute.
The activity focused on a scenario involving acute respiratory infection and included the direct participation of 3 UNIC students and 3 ISPB students, accompanied by faculty members from both institutions.
In total, 54 people participated, including technical staff and observers. Using medium- and high-fidelity manikins, the students performed clinical assessments, prioritized problems, made decisions, and worked as a team in a controlled and safe environment.
The session was structured in three phases: pre-briefing, scenario execution, and educational debriefing, allowing participants to evaluate individual and collective performance, identify difficulties, and consolidate clinical skills.
According to the organizers, the event demonstrates the potential of advanced clinical simulation as a pedagogical tool that complements the community-based practices developed through Service Learning.
The celebrations concluded on May 12 with an academic and charitable event at the Elavoco Ly’Omwenho Nursing Home in Cuito.
The initiative involved the courses in Geriatric Nursing and Geriatrics and mobilized approximately 100 students, accompanied by 5 faculty members and the coordinators of the Nursing and Human Nutrition and Dietetics programs.
During the activity, vital signs were assessed, and the nutritional, emotional, and functional status of the elderly was evaluated, in addition to social interaction, self-care education, and the delivery of donations.
The initiative helped identify common health issues among the elderly population, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoarticular pain, mobility limitations, and social isolation.
Through these initiatives, the International University of Cuanza reaffirms its commitment to an academic education based on the integration of scientific knowledge, clinical practice, and community intervention, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the health system and nursing education in Bié Province.
