UCCSMS holds second “white coat” ceremony

Cape Coast, Aug. 13, GNA - The Chairman of the Medical and Dental Council of Ghana, Dr. K. Adadey, on Friday warned medical doctors against complacency because their action or inaction could determine the fate of their clients.

He said the Council was receiving a lot of complaints, a situation that indicates that Ghanaians were becoming more aware of their rights and would fight for it, stressing that, if care was not taken, some medical doctors would find themselves at the law courts to defend their actions.

Dr. Adade gave the advice at the “white coat” ceremony for the second batch of clinical students of the University of Cape Coast’s School of Medical Sciences (UCCSMS) during which medical students, who have completed their three-year basic sciences, are dressed in white coats by their mentors.

They also took an oath to conduct themselves well as future doctors, before undertaking the second part of the training, which is mainly clinical work for another three years.

Dr. Adade, who administered the oath to the students, said the “white coat” ceremony was symbolically to impart the right attitude, skills and knowledge required into them, to serve as a reminder that as future doctors they must serve with diligence and professionalism.

He said they should abide by the hallmarks of the profession, which among others, were integrity, confidence and moral uprightness and urged them to leave no room for complacency.

“You should learn to cultivate the right attitudes towards your profession, he declared and urged them to desist from indecent dressing” saying that, they should know what was decent and appropriate dress for work.

Professor Herald Amonoo Kwofie, Dean of the UCCSMS said the curriculum had been designed to meet their needs as doctors of the 21st century, as they have been exposed to a wide range of community work and cautioned them against any act that would undermine the trust and interest of the public in them.

He said the White Coat ceremony was adopted by the UCCSMS as part of its vision to ensure best medical practices around the world in line with the Ghana Health Service by its graduates, and entreated them to treat their clients with compassion and respect.

The products of the UCCSMS are expected to be pacesetters in medicine and should be sensitive to the culture and beliefs of the people, guided by discipline and competence with professionalism.

The Central Regional Director of Health, Dr. Samuel Tetteh Kwashie, who presided, expressed concern about the upsurge of fake doctors in the country and called on the Council to find means to rid them off because their presence was a threat to peoples’ lives.