Two-week course in surgery opens

Kumasi, Sept. 20, GNA - A two-week course in basic principles of operative surgery, the first to be organised for Doctors in district hospitals opened at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi on Monday.

Thirty-five medical officers are attending the course being organised by the Department of Surgery of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The Walter Gastreich Foundation, a German non-governmental organisation (NGO) and the Ministry of Health are funding it.

The course is aimed at upgrading the knowledge of Doctors in the district hospitals, which cater for the bulk of the population. In a speech read on behalf, of Professor G. W. Brobby, Dean of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), he said the school is community-oriented adding that its academic curriculum is geared towards that direction.

He said the course in basic surgical skills does not aim to produce surgical specialists in two weeks but rather to build on the surgical capabilities of the district medical officers.

Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, said the course fulfils the vision of the Ministry of Health to improve the quality of clinical practice in the country, especially in the rural areas.

He said there are not many surgeons in the country and that the Ashanti region for example has surgeons operating only in three out of its 18 districts. Dr Appiah-Denkyira described the plight of the rural doctor as pathetic and frustrating and said that they are confronted with cases, which easily get out of hand because of lack of the requisite skills.

He said there is little opportunity for them to upgrade themselves as far as surgery is concerned and that self-tuition has been the order. They may depend on what was learnt during the limited period of Housemanship or call upon more experienced colleagues if available for support.

Dr Appiah-Denkyira expressed the hope that the course would be made to fit into the structured in-service programme being developed by the Human Resource Division of the Ministry. Professor K. Addae-Mensah, Head, Department of Surgery, KNUST, said the need for such a course has long been recognised by governments in developing countries and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

He noted Doctors in Ghana and most developing countries are increasingly confronted with surgical problems including trauma, and gynaecological emergencies.

The situation is especially difficult in the rural districts and regional hospitals. Professor Addae-Mensah was happy that the Department of Surgery has finally been able to translate its dreams into effective actions and said there must be a follow up.

He appealed to the MOH for a vehicle to enable the Department to embark on outreach programmes whenever necessary. Professor A. P. Asafo-Agyei, Acting Chief Administrator of KATH expressed the hope that the course would be the beginning of many more in future.