The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the nation and its stakeholders to ensure a violent-free general election as Ghana heads to the polls on December 7.

Dr. Frank Serebour, the President of the GMA, who read a communique at the end of the 66th Annual Conference held in Ho, said all actors in the upcoming elections should hold firm to their responsibilities of ensuring a successful election.

“Enduring free, fair, and transparent elections is essential to maintaining the confidence of Ghanaians and upholding our national integrity,” he said.

“We urge the Electoral Commission to uphold the highest standards of impartiality, transparency, and accountability.”

“We urge all political parties and groups to ensure that their members and supporters conduct themselves peacefully before, during, and after the elections.”

“The GMA also urges citizens of Ghana to remember that voting is both a right and a responsibility. Together, let’s honor our democracy by voting peacefully, respecting the rights of others, and avoiding any form of violence.”

This year’s annual general conference was held on the theme: “Fostering Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Professionalism in Ghana’s Health Sector.”

Dr. Serebour called for the adoption of health-related technologies to improve healthcare delivery, and said telemedicine and artificial intelligence continued to be worthy within the health sector.

He insisted on broad investments in such infrastructure and called for responsible use, which must include the capacity to “anticipate and mitigate potential risks.”

“The GMA encourages the use of technology to improve health delivery and also urges the government and telecommunication companies to collaborate and invest in improving access to stable internet and interoperability, as well as develop standards and regulatory frameworks to guide this area,” he said.

Dr. Serebour called for professionalism in the health sector and charged health facilities and institutions to make the most of established structures for ensuring virtue; policy guidelines, sanctions, and monitoring.

Entrepreneurship was a major theme of the conference, and the President asked the government to consider the prospect of ceding some of the newly constructed hospitals to doctors under a Public-Private Partnership agreement.

He called for consideration of tax waivers and credit facilities for medical professionals under the group practice initiative, saying it would help expand employment avenues and enhance access to healthcare.

Dr. Serebour urged the banks and financial services to provide the needed financial support for the endeavor and said health training institutions must incorporate training on entrepreneurship in their curricula.