Construction of Teaching Hospital for KNUST to start soon

The Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science and Technology (KNUST) has been given the green light for the

construction of a Teaching Hospital for the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) due

to commence in three weeks.

The 750 bed ultra-modern facility

to be situated in the university is expected to reduce the inadequate space,

congestion, inadequate lecturer rooms, and lack of accommodation space the

students and lecturers of the university are battling with at the Komfo Anokye

Teaching Hospital (KATH) during their clinical training programme.

The Vice Chancellor of the

university, Professor William Otoo Ellis, disclosed this at the 18th oath swearing

ceremony of new doctors from the School of Medical Sciences at

the College of Health Sciences.

Professor Ellis acknowledged

government’s contribution to the university and appealed to the government,

once again, to wholly take up this project by injecting the necessary funds for

early completion.

He said the School of Medical

Sciences continue to receive more applicants to enroll in the Medical School in

the face of resource constraints hence management’s decision to expand the

infrastructure base with the construction of a Simulation Centre at the

Clinical students’ Hostel at KATH to equip students with requisite skills for

effective clinical training. He also added that plans are far advanced to

construct a Basic Sciences Block for the School all towards increasing the

intake.

The Food Science and Technology don

intimated that the School will explore the use of District Hospitals in the

region as training sites through an initiate called the “Network of Teaching

Sites Programme”. This is aimed at easing congestion of clinical teaching at

KATH, strengthen community-oriented training and enhance service delivery at

the participating District Hospitals.

He called on the Ministry of

Health and the Ghana Medical and Dental Council for support in the quest to

achieving these goals.

He appealed to the new doctors to

hold high and value human life above money which “predominate everything we do”

to help Ghana.

Professor Tsiri E. Agbenyegah,

Provost of the College of Health Sciences and the Chairman of the Ghana Medical

and Dental Council advised the young doctors to continue in their quest of

life-long learning while keeping in mind the principles to save humanity. He

took the doctors through the ethics of the profession.

The Dean of the School of Medical

Sciences, Professor K.A. Danso said the School is working towards the expansion

of undergraduate intake and introduce new post graduate programmes. The School

according to him has also reviewed the curricula for both the Human Biology and

the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery programmes towards ensuring the quality of

graduates being produced.

Professor Danso advised the new

doctors to be good ambassadors of KNUST and remember their alma mater and

contribute towards its development. He cautioned them against shortcuts to fame

and riches.

In all, 92 doctors including 9

Nigerians took the “Hippocratic Oath”. 48 of the inductees were females and the

rest males, which according to

the Dean confirm the university’s commitment towards gender development and

women empowerment.

Since its introduction some 36

year ago, the SMS has trained about 1624 doctors majority of whom are still at

post in Ghana and contributing their quota to the health needs of the country.

Bright Habita

Focus fm, KNUST