The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, says government is aggressively decentralising and expanding medical education across the country as part of efforts to improve Ghana’s doctor-to-patient ratio.
Speaking at the commissioning of a new hostel facility at Wisconsin International University College at Feyiase in the Ashanti Region, the Minister said expanding access to medical training beyond traditional hubs is critical to meeting the country’s healthcare needs.
According to him, the decentralisation drive will help deploy more doctors to underserved communities.
“This will help us get more doctors across the country,” he stated. “Currently, we have more nurses all over the country, and we need to balance that with an increased number of doctors.”
The Minister also referenced ongoing reforms in professional education, pointing to government’s efforts in legal education as a model.
“Many of you know that the NDC government is very determined to demystify legal education. That is why we have a new law on legal education. So very soon we will shift it to the area of medicine. In times past, there were very few people studying law. Now the numbers are multiplying, and it should be the same for medicine,” he said.
He explained that by removing barriers to entry and expanding training institutions, government expects a surge in medical school admissions similar to what has been achieved in legal education.
The new hostel facility at Wisconsin International University College is expected to accommodate more health science students as the institution expands its medical and allied health programmes.
Stakeholders at the event, including traditional leaders and educationists, welcomed the initiative, saying improved access to medical education will reduce pressure on major teaching hospitals and help retain medical professionals in the regions.
The government says the expansion forms part of broader investments under its human capital development agenda aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery nationwide.
ALSO
Tribunal Bill laid before Parliament to reintroduce public tribunals
