Gov’t committed to resolving health challenges - Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday reiterated Government’s commitment to finding innovative ways to resolve the challenges confronting the health sector.

Key among these challenges, he said was “the huge gap” between doctor–patient ratio assuring that “the Government is doing everything possible to bridge this gap as well as resolve the other issues.”

This was contained in a speech read on his behalf by the Education Minister, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman at the first Session of the 48th Congregation of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and the third Induction and Oath Swearing of the University’s School of Medical Sciences (SMS).

A total of 42 students, made up of 24 males and 18 females, who successfully completed a six year programme of study leading to the award of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB), were inducted and sworn in as professionals.

President Mahama described the figure as encouraging since it would shore up the doctor patient ratio, stating that, “the more I attend such congregations, the more I get convinced that the Government is on the right path in addressing some of the challenges facing the health sector”.

He, in this regard, commended the University for establishing the SMS and the selfless sacrifices and support made in diverse ways, which, he said, had made UCCSMS, one of the best medical schools in the country.

President Mahama advised the new doctors, to “Know that it will not be smooth sailing all the time and be guided by the oath, which you have sworn. Remember that in all things, it is your resoluteness, dedication, love for your country and trust in God that will see you through.”

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Domwini D. Kuupole, said the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service had given the SMS approval to use the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in the Western Region as its new teaching Site.

The new development, he said, had been necessitated by insufficient space at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) to accommodate newly trained medical doctors for their housemanship training; a situation he said was limiting the number of students that could be admitted into the school.

“When the use of the hospital becomes operationalized, we hope to expand admission of students into the programmes of the medical school”, he indicated

Prof. Kuupole announced that the SMS had also begun the process of establishing collaboration with the University of Sydney Medical School in Australia, in the area of Medical education and research.

The Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics and Renal Unit of CCTH, he said, had also initiated same process in the same area for both staff and students and also for solid organ transplant, especially kidney.

Prof Kuupole announced that the university academic board had approved the introduction of six programmes comprising Bachelor of Sciences in Physician Assistant, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Sports Sciences, Health Information Management, Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Diagnostic Imaging.

In addition to the programmes to be run hopefully by the next academic year would also include Master of Philosophy in Infection and Immunology, Prof. Kuupole said.

He expressed gratitude to the GETfund for the financial support in the construction of facilities for the SMS and appealed to the Ministry to expedite action for its early completion.

He advised the new doctors to research and update their knowledge, adding that “we hope that all issues related to the conditions of service of doctors shall be resolved very soon in order to make it unnecessary for you to embark on a strike but to stand firm by the Hippocratic Oath you take”.

Dr. Ayokunle Osonuga, the Valedictorian, won 14 out of the 23 prizes for outstanding students, taking away more than GH?5, 000.00, citations, certificates and other prizes whiles seven other students received the rest of the awards.

His mother, who could not hide her joy at her son’s achievement, caught her son in a tight embrace, which lasted for more than five minutes whiles the congregation applauded and cheered.