The Association of Ghanaian Professionals in Ireland (AGPI), have given details of the second edition of the Ghanaian inter-medical school public speaking competition.

A press release issued in Dublin and signed by the Programme Director, Mrs Belinda Agyapong indicates that the competition would be held on Monday the 5th of December 2011 at the main auditorium of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in Accra from 12 noon to 3pm.

The topic for this year’s competition is ‘A modern mental health law coupled with increased funding for mental health services delivery are essential for accelerated national development’.

The release also indicates that the competition would be opened by the Minister of Education, Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu and chaired by the President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeon, Professor Sir Dr. Dr. G.W. Brobby.

This annual event is being organised by the AGPI in collaboration with St Patrick’s University Hospital and St John of God Development Company based in Dublin, as well as the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ghana Health Service, the Ghana Medical Association, the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Federation of Ghana Medical Students Association.

The objective of the competition is to stimulate the interest of Ghanaian medical students in psychiatry with the ultimate hope that they would consider a career in psychiatry. As was the case last year, four winners and runners up of the competition would each receive scholarships to undertake four weeks of elective placements in Psychiatry at St Patrick’s University Hospital and St John of God Hospital in Dublin.

Last year’s highly successful competition was between contestants from the University of Ghana Medical School in Accra and the School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. A video clip of the various presentations can be found on our website www.agpireland.org under AGPI TV or on YouTube.

It is expected that this year’s competition would be between all four medical schools and would be witnessed by some 600 people in the audience, including medical students, students from second and third cycle institutions, members of Ghana’s Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, representatives of political parties, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society and voluntary organisations as well as members of the media.

As part of the programme, the main political parties would be invited to briefly outline their parties’ vision for mental health in Ghana ahead of the 2012 elections.

It is expected that the programme would be broadcast live on national TV and on a number of radio stations.

There would also be a series of media interactions by the organizers in the week preceding the competition to popularize the event as well as advocate for improvement in mental health delivery in Ghana.

For more information, please visit www.agpireland.org.