President Akufo-Addo (4th from right), in a photograph with a delegation from the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons after a meeting at the Jubilee House
The Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) has launched an appeal to government for support.
This is to enable it train more specialists to cater for the specific needs of Ghanaians.
Rector of the College, Professor Richard Adanu made the request when he and members of the College’s Council paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House.
He said even though the rate of production of specialists in the country has seen much improvement following the establishment of the College 20 years ago, the numbers does not meet the needs or requirements of the country.
The visit was to formally invite the President to the 20th anniversary celebration of the College.
It was also to brief the President on the important role of the College in national development, highlighting its successes, challenges and the way forward.
Prof. Adanu said currently, the College has about 1,400 doctors under training in different parts of the country.
“The training occurs mainly in seven hospitals and I think that is the thing that we are not happy about because if you look at the number of hospitals in this country and we are only doing specialist training in only seven of them, then we have a long way to go” he noted.
He noted that the Korle-Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals took the largest number of specialists covering all the fields of specialisation and there were five other hospitals comprising, the 37 Military, Ridge, Cape Coast, Tamale and Ho Teaching Hospitals.
The Rector said to address the challenge, the college has decided to expand the training to all regional hospitals in the country by 2030.
Meanwhile, indicated that fellowship training has started at the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman with plans are far advanced to commence same at Efia Nkwanta Hospital in Takoradi and the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua.
Prof. Adanu explained that the expansion plan is thus crucial since it would ensure there were enough specialists to run the new hospitals being constructed under the Agenda 111 programme of the government.
President Akufo-Addo on his part said it was refreshing to listen to the Council and pledged his government’s to support their programme.
“We are going to see the best we can do to assist you, but the work that you are doing there is so important and I think it is the responsibility of government to put a stronger shoulder as possible to the wheel of progress and allow you to be able to carry out this important responsibilities,” he emphasised.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent