Beware of fake medical schools – MDC
Professor Paul Kwame Nyame, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Medical and Dental Council, has expressed concerns over the ‘mushrooming’ of medical schools in the country.
He observed that many of such schools were operating without the Council’s authorisation and advised prospective students to check the accreditation status of schools before enrolling.
Prof Nyame gave the advice at the induction ceremony of 454 newly qualified medical and dental practitioners from nine institutions, including foreign trained doctors who passed the Council’s registration examination.
The training institutions include the University of Ghana Medical and Dental Schools, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, School of Dentistry, Kumasi, University of Cape Coast, School of Medical Sciences, Family Health University College, University of Health and Allied Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Ho, Accra College of Medicine and University of Development Studies, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Temale.
He said the Council was aware of the need to train more doctors and as such was working with all stakeholders, including the medical and dental schools, government, and its relevant agencies, to find a strategy to increase the number of trained doctors and dentists to curtail the need to send students abroad.
“We are working towards holding a conference this year, hopefully by June as part of the Council’s 50th anniversary, to deliberate on issues that are germane to the subject,” he added.
This would include the expansion of existing medical schools by providing them with the necessary facilities to match the projected increase in intake, and the establishment of new schools, Prof Nyame stated.
He congratulated the inductees and urged them never to stop learning, practice within the limits of their skills, be confidential when handling clients’ information adding, “avoid thirst for glory, at the expense of reputation.”
The inductees took the Hippocratic Oath and were charged to always uphold high integrity and good moral standards.
Alhaji Mahama Asei Seini, the Deputy Minister of Health, also led the inductees to recite the National Pledge to affirm their commitment to the service of humanity and the nation, while congratulating them for the success chalked.
He reminded the inductees of the core tenets of the profession, which remained the interest of the patients, protection of human life as well as the community at large, in which they had publicly affirmed through the swearing of the oath.
Alhaji Seini said acts of professional negligence, improper conduct and unethical behavior by health professionals were unacceptable.
He noted that the Ministry was aware of the reforms the Council had embarked on, adding that government was committed to ensuring that Ghanaians had access to quality healthcare services.
“This can be proven with the National Health Insurance Scheme and the introduction of the Agenda 111 project,” he said.
He commended frontline health workers who had been at the forefront of the response in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Divine N. Banyubala, the Registrar MDC, advised the inductees on the requirements of the profession and urged them to always have respect for human dignity.
Source: GNA