The Winchester University in the United Kingdom, has honoured Dr. Emmanuel Teye Adjase, Director of the College of Health and Well-being – Kintampo (CoHK), with a degree of Doctor of Science, for his eminent achievements.

The University gave him a citation and a certificate signed by its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Joy Carter, at a congregation held in early October 2013 in Winchester, and attended by Mary Fagan, Chancellor of the University.

Mr. Daniel Wiafe-Akenten, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the College, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kintampo that the entire staff and students of the institution were not surprised that Dr. Adjase has been honoured by the University.

Mr Wiafe-Akenten said Dr. Adjase, a physician by profession, has dynamically and effectively transformed and expanded the CoHK infrastructurally and academically since he became the Director over 12 years ago.

The College PRO explained that beside the increase in staff, the Director has introduced new areas of study like a Mental Health Programme and Degree Courses in Psychiatry and Dermatology.

He said currently, the College has a well-equipped Psycho-Social Services Training Centre, and a Well-Being Clinic where people with Mental Health challenges go for counseling, treatment and referral.

Mr. Wiafe-Aketen said the Centre has been of immense assistance not only to the residents of the Kintampo North Municipality, but the Brong-Ahafo Region and Ghana in general.

He intimated that under Dr. Adjase’s Directorship, the College has also established a Dental Department which serves as a Training Centre for students and also for clinical purposes.

The PRO continued that Dr. Adjase had led the Institution to secure a 300-acre land in Kintampo for the expansion of infrastructural facilities as part of preparations to become a fully-fledged University of Health.

Mr. Wiafe-Akenten disclosed that consequently, Avic, a Chinese Company, has already undertaken feasibility studies about the viability of the College’s expansion projects, and has expressed interest in assisting with the necessary funding in partnering the College to develop the land.

A citation that accompanied the certificate and signed by Prof. Carter said “Dr Adjase has devoted his career to the service of the most needy but least well-off of Ghana’s population, the rural poor through a steadfast commitment to the education of Health Professionals.”

The citation noted that Dr. Adjase has been associated with the University for nearly six years, saying his collaboration with the University resulted in the creation of new educational programmes, specifically for Mental Health Professionals.

“It is through Dr. Adjase’s dedicated work that there are now over 200 Mental Health workers caring for the mentally-ill in rural settings” in Ghana, it stressed.

The citation emphasized that “Dr. Adjase has achieved this by making an effective case for these developments to the Ghana Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service and, crucially, by ensuring that the graduates from the Kintampo College can secure employment throughout Ghana’s 10 regions”.

It said Winchester University had hosted CoHK staff on visits to learn more about university systems and quality management, citing that last summer, five of his staff came there to study for two months on Commonwealth Fellowships.

The citation lauded Dr. Adjase for holding a strong position on the International stage since he had developed many contacts internationally, saying therefore that recently he spoke about the Kintampo Project at a conference in London hosted by the Tropical Health Education Trust, which forged links between health care organizations in the UK and in developing countries.