A Tribute To Professor Gilford Ashitey, MD: Ghana Medical School
By Rev. Peter E Adotey Addo
We join in celebrating over Forty years of Visionary work at the Ghana
Medical School by Our Beloved Professor and Brother. Thanks to the visionary
efforts of Medical giants in Community health Services, like Professor
Gilford A Ashitey,we can safely say that through his dedication and work
,our Beloved Ghana is close to entering a new era. The reality today in
Ghana is that living longer is becoming more of a certainty , and more than
that ,planning for it is more or less a necessity. Professor Ashitey saw
this day coming before many Ghanaians realized that significant demographic,
technological, and social changes were taking place. All of these changes
challenged the traditional methods and procedures of the Ghana Public Health
Services. We are indeed fortunate that we have been blessed with Professor
Ashitey who has always had vision and foresight. He has always been a person
of vision and a man of dignity.
This was even apparent during our Young School days at Osu Salem. Even then
he had a profound passion for excellence and this is how Prof Ashitey will
always be remembered: A humble man of great religious Faith and Vision. He
returned to his beloved Ghana at the appropriate time in Ghana Medical
History and without any haste helped in the control of the 7th Pandemic of
Cholera from Asia to West Africa in the 1970s.Through teaching and numerous
assignments and Projects in Family Planning as an Epidemiologist he traveled
the world and was cited on numerous occasions by WHO. The World Health
Organization
Whatever the position, project, assignment, task, or challenge Prof Ashitey
always demonstrated a passion for perfection ,always experiencing or
receiving great satisfaction serving as a teacher, mentor, administrator and
seeing his students developing into effective and competent public health
professionals. Dr. Ashitey believes that there is no greater calling more
vital to our beloved Ghana and our developing democratic society than that
of teacher, mentor, and seeing students develop into dedicated and competent
Public Health professionals. There are many ways to contribute to a strong
and viable medical culture in Ghana.
One of the best ways is the path chosen by Professor Ashitey to help prepare
medical students who will reach and serve future generations. We believe
that this is why Professor Ashitey stands out as a medical giant committed
to programs that help young students prepare for the future, to that task he
never retreated.
To family, friends and professional colleagues around the world,Prof Ashitey
has been a Man of Vision, Our Mentor and a friend. His Intelligence, Honesty
Integrity, and Wit have earned him the profound respect, admiration and
friendship of family, associates, peers and competitors. His Lifelong
achievements will certainly continue to impress, inspire and motivate others
for generations to come. We salute you Professor Ashitey for having the
courage of your vision for forty years to encourage all Ghanaians to improve
and maintain the efficacy and law of the Community Health Services in our
Beloved Ghana.
"Indeed where there is no vision the people perish: but he that keeps the
law, happy is he." Proverbs 20:18.
Submitted April 13 2013 Greensboro, North Carolina, U S A.
Rev Peter E Adotey Addo is the Author of several Scientific and Religious
publications. The most Recent are : GHANA FOLK TALES, HOW THE SPIDER
BECAME BALD AND TALKING DRUMS , A BOOK OF POETRY.
