Relief For Ghanaian Medical Students In Ukraine

L-R: David Anthonisz, Kingsley Agyemang and Molly K. Oneill

OVER 1,000 students studying medicine in Ukraine have found relief in a pact signed by the Ghana Scholarships Secretariat and the St. George’s University of Medicine in the Caribbean Island of Grenada.

The agreement, signed yesterday on behalf of Ghana by the Registrar of the Scholarships Secretariat, Kingsley Agyemang, and David Anthonisz, Director of Recruitment and Commercial Engagement, signing for St. George’s University, will see Ghanaian medical students who have been misplaced in Ukraine as a result of the war between Ukraine and Russia, going to Grenada to further their studies.

It follows an earlier Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2019 with the St. George’s University.

Under the MoU, selected students who have first degrees in medical sciences would be offered scholarship for post graduate training in the medical field. The packages range from 50 per cent to 100 per cent funding by the awarding institution, with the Scholarship Secretariat as the coordinating agency.

Concerns

There have been concerns about how students on Government of Ghana scholarships, especially those pursuing medicine in Ukraine, are going to complete their studies due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But speaking after the signing of the agreement yesterday, Mr. Agyemang said the agreement, which takes full effect immediately, will afford the affected students an opportunity to carry on with their studies at the St. George’s University.

“The Government of Ghana, under the leadership of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo takes the education of Ghanaian students very serious, no matter where they find themselves and therefore, has instructed me to quickly find a way to ensure that these students, who are affected by the unfortunate situation in Ukraine, can find a way to continue their studies. I therefore see the signing of this agreement as very important, especially considering the timing,” he said.

He added that the students who have so far left Ukraine and are in Ghana through the efforts of the Government of Ghana, will be contacted for the necessary arrangements to be made to get them to continue with their studies in Grenada.

Mr. Agyemang said the move was important because it would also complement government’s efforts at training medical professionals towards achieving universal health coverage.

David Anthonisz, commenting on the pact, said the St. George’s University of Medicine was ready to absorb the medical students.

He assured the Government of Ghana, the Scholarships Secretariat and the students, that they will be given the best of treatment.

He commended Ghana for having a reputation for creating great students at the international level, saying that was one of the reasons for the partnership.

He said the university had trained over 16,000 professionals with over 10,000 of them practising in the United States and other countries.

A private international university offering degrees in medicine and other related programmes, it is among the best universities that train health professionals.

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