Cape Coast, Jan. 17, GNA- The Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast UCC, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Adow Obeng, on Thursday stressed the need for the training of more medical professionals beyond the current capacity of the existing medical institutions to bridge the gap between the doctor-patient ratio in the country.

According to him, statistics showed that the doctor-patient ratio in Ghana was 1:12,000, adding that, there were worst regional variations of 1:65,000 and that the phenomenon was against the backdrop of an alarming medical brain-drain that had hit the country.

Professor Obeng, who said this during the opening of the University Of Cape Coast School Of Medical Sciences (UCC-SMS) and the matriculation of the pioneer students at Cape Coast stressed that, it was in this regard that the UCC established the medical school to fill the gap. In all, 43 students, including eight females were admitted to study courses in the basic sciences components of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of surgery.

The process for the school started in January 2003 and was given a three- year interim accreditation by the National Accreditation Board (NAB) in September 2007, to run the basic sciences. Prof. Obeng pointed out that currently there were just about 2,100 medical doctors registered with the Ghana Medical and Dental Council and described the situation as highly inadequate, given the small number of doctors trained by the existing medical schools each year and coupled with the high rate of attrition of doctors and the high population growth rate in the country.

Prof. Obeng said the UCC has contributed immensely in the training of the requisite human resource for the country's educational sector and stressed that the establishment of the medical school would also go along way to provide adequate and easily accessible healthcare to the citizens of the country.

He said the three-year accreditation given the schools throws a challenge to UCC and asked all stakeholders particularly deans, directors of faculties schools and centres to contribute some of their savings to support the Medical School to enable it to operate until it is viable enough to stand on its feet.

Prof. Obeng said the training of the medical doctors was cost effective, adding that by the National Council For Tertiary Education records, it cost per year GH=A27,430.15 to train one undergraduate medical doctor and pointed out that, what the students were paying was highly subsidized by the government and commended the government for its contributions towards the establishment of the school.

Prof Obeng said following the problems the UCC faced in establishing the school, the quality of programmes was going to come under close scrutiny and that, it therefore behoves on UCC to maintain a very high standard and hinted that school was going to establish linkages with the School of Health Sciences at Grand Valley States, Ohio and Maastricht Universities for student and lecturer exchange programmes. The Vice Chancellor called on the students to apply themselves diligently and be committed to their programme of study, since the UCC did not compromise on the rigor of its standards, adding that discipline should be the major determinant of their success at the school. Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Education Science and Sports commended the UCC for establishing the medical school after going through a lot of problems and assured the school of the government's supports.

He said the schools was established at the time that the country was facing challenges, such as the brain-drain, doctor-patient ratio, sustenance of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)and asked that the school should endeavour to train doctors who would come out with pragmatic programmes to help solve the problems facing the health sector in the country. He asked the students to justify the efforts put in the establishment the school, which, he said, was almost killed at its birth and take their studies seriously.

Dr Aaron Offei, Central Regional Director of Health Services, said the country has come of age to have many more centres of excellence to train medical doctors and stressed that the school should be able to train doctors who would help address the health needs of the country, particularly in the south-western corridor of the country. He said the Ghana Health Service would sign a memorandum of understanding with the school authorities so that the students could use facilities of the service for their training programmes. Professor Harold Amonoo-Kuofi, Dean of the School, said the aim of the school was to train "critical doctors" who would help address the health needs of the country and that the school's programmes would be an integrated one to replace the traditional learning with a more holistic approach that inspires reflection, personal growth and enlightenment. He said the programme would also expose the students to group problem solving programmes, investigative case studies, and peer teaching so as to produce students who would be intelligent, critical, confident and very adaptable to situations within the communities in which they find themselves.

Among those present at the ceremony were the His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor former Minister of Defence, Nana Ato Arthur, Central Regional Minister, Rt. Reverend Bishop Aboagye Mensah former Moderator of the Methodist Church and Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Omanhene of Oguaa Traditional Council and some representatives from the World Health Organisation. 17 Jan. 08