Let us invest in health education - Yamson

Accra, Nov. 18, GNA - Mr Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of University of Ghana Council has called on corporate institutions and organisations to invest in health education to ensure the development of the required human resource base for quality health care delivery in the country. He noted that knowledge acquired by health personnel would save the lives of many Ghanaians.

Mr Yamson made the call at a fund-raising dinner and awards night organised by College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana in Accra at the weekend.

It was to support its Post Graduate Endowment Fund and reward individuals, institutions and organisations that had contributed to the fund.

Mr Yamson said most corporate institutions and organisations, used most of their funds to support beauty pageants and it would be appropriate to channel these funds in health education. He pointed out that there was the need to invest in the training of new and young health personnel to replace the ageing health professionals and lack of such financial assistance had led to most of the specialists in the health sector leaving for further education outside the country and had failed to return due to inadequate investment in their training.

Mr Yamson said establishment of the fund had led to the retention of 87 per cent of health personnel in the country as compared to 13 per cent who were retained some few years ago. He said with the assistance of the fund the cost of a postgraduate training programme had reduced from 30,000 pounds to 250 dollars. Mr Yamson said the College required the needed human and financial resources to achieve its vision of ensuring good health, comfort and happiness to the people.

Professor Clifford Nii Boye Tagoe, Vice-Chancellor of University of Ghana called for measures that would ensure health personnel were provided with further training to remain and provide better health care delivery in the country.

Dr Charles Mensah, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fund advised Ghanaians, individuals and organisations to assist in the development of local institutions especially in the health sector. Professor Aaron Lante Lawson, Provost of the College, appealed to individuals, institutions and organisations to support graduate training for specialists and the level of basic sciences.

"Government has played its role and it is up to us to contribute our widow's mite to support the College, " he added. Prof. Lawson said the business community was a key partner for the country's human resource development and should endeavour to ensure regional and district hospitals were staffed with specialists and staff components of the basic sciences.

Four individuals and 31 corporate institutions and organisations received awards for their outstanding contribution to the Fund. About 24,000 Ghana cedis and 8,000 dollars were realised as pledges by individuals, institutions and organisations. 18 Nov. 07