Dr Justus Deikumah, a Lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, has said the training of health professionals should be expanded to increase access to more qualified applicants.
He said: “There is no doubt that if we are to improve the standard of living of our people then we must improve health care, let us, therefore, strive for skilled but not cheap labour”. Dr Deikumah, who is at the Department of Entomology and Wildlife, said this at the 2016/2017 academic year second joint matriculation ceremony of the Registered Post Basic Nursing programmes in the Greater Accra Region on Friday.
He, therefore, encouraged the respective health training schools to prove that they have the capacity to offer world class quality training for health professionals. “These health professionals will later use the knowledge gained to impact on the strong standards of quality health services in the country.
“It is undeniable fact that central to the progress of any nation is the development of the human resource through training and education “This country needs more doctors, nurses and midwives to ensure that the country is able to meet its developmental goals and without a healthy population, the development of any country is thwarted,” he said.
Mr Lawrence O. Lawson, the Head of Allied Health Training Institutions Secretariat, Ministry of Health (MOH), said nursing was critical to the capacity building and development in the country. “All these nursing programmes forms part of the vital areas the Ministry of Health has identified and injecting professional skills over the years to improve primary health care. “This is because the absence of adequate care in these areas threatens the work force and the population of the country,” he said.
Mr Lawson said it was for that and many other reasons that the training focused on the enhancement and competencies of nurses. He said: “The matriculates present here is critical to the capacity development in the health sector”. He, therefore, challenged the students to make the best use of their training sessions in order to realise their various ambitions. Mr Lawson, however, pledged the MOH’s continuous assistance to enhance development in various health training schools.
Dr Evans Atito-Narh, the Director, School of Anaesthesia, Ridge Hospital, congratulated the students for successfully obtaining admission to pursue their dream courses in the various schools. He said better health was central to human happiness and well-being. “It also makes an important contribution to economic progress as healthy populations live longer and are more productive,” he said.
He urged the students to make use of the opportunity offered them by the health training institutions by staying focused, working hard and remaining conscious of the efforts and sacrifices of their parents and guardians towards their future job security through quality education.
Out of the 279 students; 59 gained admission to study Ophthalmic Nursing, 142 would be studying Peri-Operative and Critical Care Nursing, whilst 48 would be reading Public Health Nursing at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital with the remaining 40 being offered admission into the School of Anesthesia at the Ridge Hospital.
The students were led by Dr Deikumah on behalf of the various principals of the respective schools to undertake the Matriculation Oath which binds each student to abide by all rules and regulations and also to be of good behaviour while pursuing their studies in order to promote a positive image of the institution.
