GENERAL INFORMATION
Introduction: ST. MARY’S LACOR HEALTH TRAINING INSTITUTE is located within the premises of St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor (Lacor Hospital) , approximately 6 kilometres west of Gulu City, along Juba Road. The school shares same governance and ownership with the hospital. The hospital is a Church-Based, Roman-Catholic, Non-Profit Health Service Provider located in Gulu Archdiocese, Gulu District. ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL LACOR has this name to signify its religious affiliation as a hospital placed under the special protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Health of the Sick. Lacor Hospital considers its long-established activities at all levels of the chain of teaching and training health professionals as an integral and prominent part of its mission.
The general student population of the Institute is 550 as of this FY2019-2020, distributed among the 5 programs; Nursing and Midwifery, Laboratory Technology, Theatre Techniques, and Anaesthesia.
We have accommodation facilities within the school premises. It is a must for all Certificate Students to reside within the school hostel, but it is optional for Diploma and Post Basic Students.
Main Objective: To provide training opportunity to students in order to enable them offer Quality Health Care to the population. The goal is to produce quality, competent and dedicated health workers for the region.
Mission: To provide affordable, quality and sustainable training of health care professionals of high integrity in witness to the church’s concern for all.
Core values: Respect, Compassion, Professionalism, Team work, Honesty, Transparency, Accountability, Optimal Utilisation of Resources
GOVERNANCE AND OWNERSHIP:
The Institute shares same governance and ownership, more or less as training department of the Hospital.
- School Board: The Institute has a Training and Teaching Committee of the Board (School Board) who is charged with the duty of examining and reporting to the plenary on the activity and performance of the Hospital’s Health training Institute, the teaching and training programmes. It also proposes to the Board policies and strategic decision regarding the school.
- Academic Board: The Institute has an Academic Board which is the internal governing body of the Institute and is chaired by the Medical Director on behalf of the Executive Director. Other members are the Principal of the Institute, the Principal Tutors of each school program, one tutor for each program selected by the Principal of the Institute, the Academic Registrars, the Hospital Senior Nursing Officer, the Head of the Hospital Clinical Laboratory, the School Chaplain, the Hospital Secretary and a Students Representative.
- School Administration: The Principal of the Institute is the responsible person for the day to day operations of the Institute and is supported by five other Principal Tutors who are appointed to head the training programs of higher diploma in Anaesthesia, Medical Laboratory/Technology, Theatre Assistant Techniques, Nursing and Midwifery.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Games and Sports: Football, Netball, Volleyball, Indoor games, Athletes
Cultural activities: Cultural Galas
Religious Affairs: Spiritual and Psycho Social Support, Scripture Union, Charismatic team, Church Choir
NURSING & MIDWIFERY PROGRAM:
The Nursing School was started in 1973 offering a certificate course with 10 students. Registration in Nursing was later started in 1992. Thereafter in 2012, the Enrolled Midwifery course was started while the Diploma in Midwifery in 2016.
Currently the school has four courses, Diploma Nursing, Diploma in Midwifery, Certificate in Enrolled Nursing and Certificate in Enrolled Midwifery. Most of the trainees are from within the country but some few come from other countries, like Kenya and South Sudan. From 1973 to date, student enrollment has been on the increase. Specifically, yearly for the last 3 years), the demand for our services continues to remain high.
Course Duration and Requirement:
| Program | Duration | Requirement | Award |
| Certificate Nursing | 2 ½ Years | Uganda Certificate of Education with Passes in science subjects, English & Mathematics | Certificate |
| Certificate Midwifery | 2 ½ Years | Uganda Certificate of Education with Passes in science subjects, English & Mathematics | Certificate |
| Diploma Nursing | 1 ½ Years | Certificate in Nursing | Diploma |
| Diploma Midwifery | 1 ½ Years | Certificate in Midwifery | Diploma |
The minimum age limit for the training is 18 years and above. The training is broken into two semesters per year.
Recruitment: Advertisement is usually run at the beginning of the January, Interviews and Selections in March with Enrollment in July for the above program.
Fees: Our fees are affordable and once admitted in our Institution a breakdown of the fee structure will be given to you.
LABORATORY PROGRAM:
The School started in 1979 with authorization from Ministry of Health. This was in response to the high demand for the laboratory services in the region. The capacity for certificate program is 120 students and 150 diploma.
Course Duration and Requirement:
| Program | Duration | Requirement | Award |
| Certificate Medical Laboratory Techniques | 2 Years | Uganda Certificate of Education with Passes in science subjects, English & Mathematics | Certificate |
| Diploma Medical Laboratory Technology | 3 Years | Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education with principle passes in Biology & subsidiary in physics or chemistry OR Certificate in Medical Laboratory techniques (or the equivalent) | Diploma |
The training is broken into two semesters annually.
Recruitment:
Advertisement are usually run at the beginning of the January, Interviews and Selections in March and Enrollment in July for the above program.
Fees:
Our fees are affordable and once admitted in our Institution a breakdown of the fee structure will be given to you.
MEDICAL THEATRE ASSISTANTS:
The program started at Lacor Hospital in 2015 with authorization from the Ministry of Health as a requirement for the Millennium Development Goal number four 4. The training started with 15 students and has seen increase in enrollment since then. This FY 2019/2020, we have up to 25 students enrolled. The demand for health personnel with this specialty is still high on the market.
Course Duration and Requirement:
| Program | Duration | Requirement | Award |
| Certificate Theater Techniques | 2 Years | Uganda Certificate of Education with Passes in science subjects, English & Mathematics | Certificate |
The training is broken into two semesters per year.
Recruitment:
Advertisement are usually run at the beginning of the January, Interviews and Selections in March and Enrollment in July for the above program.
Fees:
Our fees are affordable and once admitted in our Institution a breakdown of the fee structure will be given to you.
ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN ANAESTHESIA:
The school of Anaesthesia Lacor campus is a branch of Mulago School of Anaesthesia, Mulago. It was established under the Universities and other Tertiary Institutions Act, 2001. Its mandate is to train Allied Health Professionals that include Anaesthetic Officers for both private and public health sectors in Uganda. The training is conducted under the mandate of the Ministry of Education and Sports.
St Mary’s Hospital Lacor under the Archdiocese of Gulu, Gulu District had been involved in training Nurse Anaesthetists since 1994, following approval from Ministry of Health, and in collaboration with Mulago Department of Anaesthesia. The training was established and programmed by Mulago Department of Anaesthesia, with a training duration of one year, and qualifying with a certificate in Anaesthesia.
The training was Post Basic with Enrolled Nurses and Midwives working in both private and public heath institutions in Uganda eligible for admissions. The school was stopped and was re-opened in 2002/2004 under Ministry Of Education And Sports, with funding from the World Bank. This time the school started awarding Ordinary Diploma in Anaesthesia. To date the school has upgraded and now offers Post Basic Advanced Diploma in Anaesthesia.
Course Duration and Requirement:
| Program | Duration | Requirement | Award |
| Post Graduate Diploma Anaesthesia | 2 Years | – Diploma Clinical Medicine & Community Health – Diploma Midwifery / Nursing |
Advanced Diploma |
The training is broken into two semesters per year.
Recruitment: Advertisement are usually run at the beginning of the January, Interviews and Selections in March and EnrolLment in July for the above program.
Fees: Our fees are affordable and once admitted in our Institution a breakdown of the fee structure will be given to you. Applicant can benefit from student scheme loan from the government of Uganda but the letter from the admitting institution is mandatory.