Oral English language proficiency programme for Cuban doctors

The Brong Ahafo Regional Health Committee is to sponsor oral English language proficiency programmes for Cuban doctors working in the region.

Alhaj Dr Mohammed Bin Ibrahim, Regional Director of Health Services, who announced this at Sunyani said the programmes would be run in close collaboration with the Regional and District directors of the Ghana Education Service.

He was addressing the opening of a first scientific research presentation of Cuban doctors in Brong Ahafo and some parts of Ashanti Region.

"We shall encourage our Cuban brothers and sisters to avail themselves of the opportunity for their own self-advancement, capacity building and appreciation of international health," the regional Director said.

Alhaj Dr Ibrahim commended the Cuban doctors for their dedication to duty and their ability to adapt fast to the Ghanaian environment and appreciated their efforts to be proficient in the English Language for better communication with their clients.

He, however noted that the two-year duty tour of the Cubans had been found to be too short and suggested that their stay be extended to three or four years in view of their sterling performance.

"We, the Brong Ahafo Regional Health Directorate shall ensure the sustainability of such scientific research presentation seminars," Alhaj Dr Ibrahim added.

Dr Daniel Asare, Senior Medical Officer in charge of the Sunyani Government Hospital, who presided, noted that Brong Ahafo received its first two Cuban doctors in 2001 and currently has 13 of them.

He commended Cuba, which has about 70,000 doctors with a doctor-population of 200 persons to a doctor, for extending "such hand of friendship to Ghana in the face of the mass exodus of Ghanaian doctors and nurses to seek greener pastures in foreign lands.

Dr Asare expressed the hope that such co-operation between the two countries would flourish for their continued mutual benefit.