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General News of Saturday, 8 April 2006

Source: GNA

Medical personnel urged to stay

Accra, April 8, GNA - Medical personnel must endeavour to stay in Ghana to offer their services to the poor taxpayer, whose sweat and toil had ensured their current status, Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister in Charge of Tertiary Education said on Saturday.

She told graduates of the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana that, comparing their conditions of work with other professions in the country, they would realise that their condition was better than most others.

Ms. Ohene said, "How long will it take for this group to become part of the accusing statistics of less than a tenth of a graduating class of health professionals being in the country after two years," and urged them to stay to help make the country a healthy and prosperous one.

This year, the College graduated 361 students, consisting of 81 medical doctors, nine dental surgeons, 86 nurses, 33 medical laboratory technicians, 13 physiotherapists, 11 diagnostic radiographers and 122 B.Sc. graduates. 31 MPH degree students also graduated from the School of Public Health.

With this, the School of Health Sciences has produced a total of 2,030 doctors, since its inception six years ago.

Mrs Ohene told the graduates that they have had the best of what the country had to offer, adding that, "the challenge is here in Ghana and there are opportunities to satisfy every ambition. She noted that, alarm bells must be ringing when the quality of university graduates could not be assured and there were complaints from industry as well as the whole population.

" I have not yet heard about complaints of falling standards from employers of young doctors" adding that, there was no question that the nation's medical school attracts the top crop of young people." Mrs Ohene said, as doctors in the real sense of the word, it was not enough to know medicine but should be able to communicate, and be knowledgeable in music, history, art, sports, ICT and the world around them generally.

She assured the University of government's continued support for its programmes and activities to ensure that the planned visitation became a success.

She said the measures being taken by the University, with the help of the Acting Vice Chancellor were necessary to restore the confidence in the systems and structures of the University, and congratulated him for taking up the task to tackle the problems confronting the University.

Mr Sam Okudzeto, Chairman of the College Council advised the graduates to keep high the reputation that its products have carved for themselves, adding that, as alumni of the University, he had a responsibility to uphold its ideals.

"Wherever you go, whatever you do, let your conduct, performance and speech reflect the greatness of the University of Ghana, your Alma Mater."

He urged them to endeavour to stay in the country to offer their services and to contribute their quota towards enhancing the health of the citizen.

Professor Albert G.B. Amoah, Acting Provost of the College commended the Government and the people of Ghana, as well as the various benefactors, who had supported its programmes, as well as the Ministry of Health for its continued financial and material support for the School of Allied Sciences.

Dr. Ishmael Yamson, Chairman of the University Council, who conferred the degrees on the graduates, implored them to be guided by the Hippocratic Oath they have sworn and the University Motto "Integri Procedamus".

The female doctors won over 70 per cent of the prizes with the best all-round student going to Dr. Cordelia Afra Solomon, with Ms. Bertha Owusu Ansah and Ms Sandra Agyepong-Badu sharing the nine prizes for Physiotherapy among others. 8 April 06