Tema, Aug 11, GNA - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated medical supplies and materials worth 170,000 dollars to the Ministry of Health (MOH) at a ceremony at Tema. The equipment that included anatomical models, textbooks, midwives and other materials are to be distributed to 42 pre-service training institutions for nurses, midwives, community health officers and nurses throughout the 10 regions in the country.

Mr Dennis Weller, USAID Deputy Director who presented the equipment, said the MOH in its effort to expand the capacity of pre-service training institutions increased enrolment from 2,944 to 4,829 between 2002 and 2004.

The rapid expansion of trainees placed severe pressure on the institutions, hence the reason for the presentation. Dr Yaw Antwi-Boasiako, the MOH Director of Human Resource Development, received the equipment and expressed his appreciation to the USAID for the support.

He said the donation has arrived at the opportune time when the Ministry is need of materials to cater for the high intake into the training schools.

Dr Antwi-Boasiako expressed the hope that more of such donations would follow to assist Ghana improve on its health status and that private nursing schools might be considered in future donations.