Dr. Winfred Korletey Baah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), has initiated steps for the Odumase-Krobo Nursing and Midwifery Training College to be accredited to offer diploma programmes in nursing, midwifery, and public health.

Dr. Baah, who is also a consultant physician, has appealed for the fast-tracking of the accreditation process to enable the institution to fulfill its mandate and the mission for which it was established.

At a meeting with Dr. Awoonor Williams, Technical Adviser to the Minister of Health, and the Head of the Health Training Institutions at the Ministry of Health (MoH), Dr. Baah noted that most nursing and midwifery training colleges were being accredited to run degree programmes.

Dr. Baah stated that the Odumase-Krobo Nursing and Midwifery College could not continue to train and award certificates in nursing assistant (preventive) programmes only.

Established in 2015, the college has so far been running only a two-year healthcare/nursing assistant (preventive) programme.

According to Dr. Baah, the college was originally established to train general nurses, midwives, and public health nurses.

However, due to delays in securing the necessary accreditation, it has been operating below its capacity and mandate. This has necessitated ongoing intervention to ensure immediate accreditation for the commencement of diploma programmes in alignment with the vision behind its establishment.

Dr. Baah expressed optimism that with ongoing efforts and collaboration between the MoH, HeFRA, and other relevant institutions, the accreditation process would be expedited to allow the college to commence diploma programmes in general nursing, midwifery, and public health this year.

“The diploma programmes will commence this year, hopefully, given the assurances I have received from the ministry,” he said.

The college, which operated in temporary facilities for five years at Odumase, relocated to its current permanent site south of the Odumase township in 2020.

It currently has a student population of nearly 400, consisting of first- and second-year students enrolled in the healthcare/nursing assistant (preventive) programme.