The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has appealed to the universities to develop clinically-based training programmes for health care professionals.

Dr Ebenezer Appiah Denkyira, Director General of the Service, said it was time the country developed its own training model to provide practical training to health professionals.

He was speaking at the 2013 graduation ceremony for 55 physician assistant anaesthetists at the Kumasi Nurse Anaesthetists Training School, on Friday.

The GHS, Dr Appiah Denkyira said, is currently placing emphasis on emergency response at the health facilities and that it has become important to give “on-the-job” training to health workers in some critical areas to provide emergency services at all times.

He reminded the anaesthetists of their role in the health care delivery system and said the Service would continue to explore avenues to upgrade their skills and competencies.

Dr Appiah Denkyira appealed to the health workers to avoid strike actions, likely to undermine health care delivery.

The Director of the School, Dr William Addison, said since its establishment in 1974 to train nurse anaesthetists, it had produced about 500 anaesthetists, working in various health facilities across the country.

He said the institute is now a physician assistant training institution and is currently under the regulation of the Medical and Dental Council.

Dr Addison called for support from the GHS and other stakeholders to address institutional challenges relating to office accommodation, library and classrooms.

He appealed to the graduating students to work in harmony with other health professionals, to ensure the provision of quality health care.

Dr Aaron Offei, Ashanti Director of Health Services, said emergency medicine is becoming a topical issue and that the role of the anaesthetist is crucial not only in bringing down child and maternal deaths but to help attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).