The School of Medical Sciences (SMS) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in marking its 50th anniversary, has intensified calls for conscious and dedicated investments in medical education in Ghana.
Despite the growing demand for qualified healthcare professionals, insufficient support keeps medical schools across the country underfunded, affecting infrastructure, equipment, faculty salaries, and other resources.
The government is being admonished to review the fees for medical education, offer special loans for medical students and retool medical schools to address these growing challenges.
Under the theme “A Glance at the Past, A Glimpse into the Future,” the 50th anniversary launch of KNUST SMS assembled key stakeholders, including faculty, alumni, and government officials to celebrate the school’s achievements and reflect on improvement for a better healthcare in Ghana.
Dean of School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Prof. Akwasi Antwi Kusi, pointed to the growing limitations to quality medical education and urged the government and corporate bodies to capitalize medical education.
“The medical field has undergone remarkable transformations over the last 50 years, and it continues to evolve. To stay ahead, we must innovate, invest, and lead. Medical education is expensive in the United States, the average annual cost of medical education is $60,000. In Ghana, it’s 3,000 cedis for regular students and 10,000 cedis for fee-paying students.
“This keeps our medical schools underfunded, affecting infrastructure, equipment, faculty salaries, and resources. I call on the government to review the fees for medical education and offer special loans for medical students, and I urge corporate bodies to invest in medical education,” he said.
With only 26 students in 1975, to 280 students presently, the KNUST Medical School has chalked successes, expanding academic programs over the years and equalizing the male-to-female ratio to one-to-one.
The School of Medical Sciences helped with establishment of other medical schools in Ghana like the Tamale Medical School, and with German partners established the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), becoming a vocal hub of research.
The heart of the success stories is the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, SMS alumni have launched a legacy project to construct a multi-purpose lecture theatre complex at KATH, aimed at addressing the infrastructure challenges.
Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Prof. Christian Agyare, lauded the School of Medical Sciences alumni and encouraged them to continuously support their alma mater.
“Your success is a reflection of the foundation you received here. We urge you to uphold the values of excellence, integrity, and compassion in all that you do,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, reinforced the importance of continued investment in the future of medical education.
“As we celebrate this golden jubilee, we must remember that the future demands innovation, investment, and commitment. Let’s all contribute to ensure SMS remains a leader in medical education,” she said.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, shared his experiences during his clinical years and pledged to contribute to the ongoing projects.
“Medical education must align with this vision. The training at SMS should reflect the evolving needs of our healthcare landscape, producing not just doctors, but change-makers and innovators rooted in community service.
“As we celebrate this golden jubilee, let us all, alumni, government, corporate bodies, and the general public, support the Legacy Project: a state-of-the-art lecture complex at Komfo Anokye which I made a personal donation to support this project,” he said.
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