Makokou school graduates first health workers
The EPFASS in Makokou has awarded diplomas to 500 students in nursing and social work after its 2008 closure and 2025 reopening.
The first class of the Makokou School for Health and Social Action (EPFASS) received their diplomas last weekend, marking the school's first graduation since its closure in 2008. The school was rehabilitated and reopened on March 21, 2025, by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema. The Senate President, Huguette Yvonne Nyana Ekoume-Awori Onanga, served as the godmother for the graduating class, represented by her cabinet director, Silvère Landry Boubala.
A total of 500 students completed their training across two specializations. In the nursing-assistant track, 371 out of 407 registered students were admitted, with 20 eligible for further assessment and 12 failing. The social work program saw 90 out of 97 candidates admitted. These graduates are expected to help address a shortage of healthcare personnel in the Ogooué-Ivindo province's hospitals and clinics.
The graduates are now prepared to enter the workforce and bolster the staffing levels of health facilities, particularly in the Ogooué-Ivindo province. This initiative contributes to Challenge 4 of the National Growth and Development Plan. The godmother's representative, Silvère Landry Boubala, stated that being a godmother involves commitment and support for the students' futures. The best-performing students received kits from the godmother.
Why it mattersThe graduation of 500 health and social workers from the EPFASS in Makokou aims to fill critical personnel shortages in Gabon's healthcare sector, particularly in the Ogooué-Ivindo province.