Cuba to post specialists to teach at UCC Medical School

Cape Coast, April 6, GNA - The Dean of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) School of Medical Sciences, Professor Harold Amonoo Kwofie, on Wednesday lauded the decision by the Cuban Government to post specialists and medical doctors to teach at the School. He said the move would help to beef up the required number of specialists needed to teach medical students at the school. Prof. Amonoo made the remarks at a day's Scientific Workshop organized by the Central Regional Hospital for the Cuban medical team assigned to health facilities in the Central Region. He said the health care system in the country was mainly community based and the School places emphasis on community health training.

=A0=A0=A0=A0 Prof. Kwofie commended members of the Cuban medical team for their dedication to duty and asked them to cooperate with Ghanaian doctors to enhanced performance. =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0 The Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Samuel Tetteh Kwashie, commended the team for accepting to work in the parts of the Region at the time some Ghanaian doctors refused postings to those areas.

Dr. Roxana Martinez a member of the team, said the number of Cuban Medical Brigade in the country will be increased from 200 to 245.

Dr. Dorcas Obiri Yeboah, of the Central Regional Hospital said 90 per cent of children infected by hepatitis had the disease from their mothers while child to child transmission was also very high and stressed the need for children to be immunized against it as the vaccine was available.

She said that drugs for treating hepatitis was expensive and not readily available and treatment could be more that 11 months. Dr. Yeboah called for a national immunization programme to combat the disease and urged health facilities to screen particularly women and children because they more susceptible to the disease.

Dr. Stephen Laryea, who spoke on child malnourishment, called on health personnel to collaborate with mothers and other stakeholders to eliminate malnutrition among children.