Winneba (C/R), April 28, GNA -The University of Education Winneba would from August this year mandate its students to go through routine medical examinations each academic year to ensure that the health needs of student were met.

According to the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, 13 students from the University had died from January to date, due to ailments that would not have caused them their lives if they were detected earlier.

He said the University Clinic was not equipped with the necessary facilities and drugs, therefore students who could not afford drugs outside campus, often relaxed with the hope that their ailment would eventually disappear. Prof Anamuah-Mensah expressed these concerns on Friday when the Ministry of Health presented assorted drugs worth 15 million cedis to the University Clinic.

The appeal for such support was made on behalf of the University by the Tertiary Students Confederation (TESCON), the student wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The Vice Chancellor said the University campus clinic which was currently under reconstruction would be responsible for screening all students each academic year as part of the registration process and those with serious cases would be referred to Government Hospitals for treatment.

"The students body have agreed to pay an additional 50,000 cedis for this medical examination each year", Prof. Anamuah-Mensah said, adding that the exercise would also be of comparable advantage to students who do not have access to the National Health Insurance Scheme due to their dual residence nature.

He expressed appreciation to the Health Ministry for the support and encouraged other student orgnisations on campus to emulate TESCON and to also appeal for support for the school.

Mr. Samuel Owusu Agyei, Deputy Minister of Health said Government considered the health needs of all a prerequisite for development, saying the introduction of the NHIS, for instance was a demonstration of Government's commitment to make health accessible to all. He pledged the Ministry's further support to ensure that the health needs of the students were met.

Mr Owusu-Agyei, also the Member of Parliament for the Awutu-Effutu Senya Constituency earlier inspected a 415- million cedi ultra modern 14-seater water closet and six bathrooms constructed for the girls dormitory of the Winneba Secondary School. The project was funded by the District Assembly Common Fund. 28 April 07