By
Amadu Kamil Sanah, GNA
Accra, Nov. 14, GNA
– “The Health Professions Education Unit’ of the College of Health Sciences in
collaboration with the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, of the University
of Ghana Business School has organised the first Health Professions Seminar
Series.
The seminar was on
the topic “Sickle Cell Management and Africa’s Developmental Agenda” and held
at the College of Health Sciences, at the
Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Dr. Jonathan
Quartey, the Head of the Health Professions Education Unit, in his welcome
address noted that “health is wealth,” and that any discussion about
health was a useful discussion.
He said the Health
Professions Education was essential for the development of the global workforce
and mentioned that the mandate of the Unit in the College of Health Sciences
was to work on broader functions of all health professions unlike the erstwhile
Medical Education Unit.
Dr Quartey
acknowledged the good work done by the Medical Education Unit led by Professor
Kobina Nkyerkyer, the Vice Dean of the Unit.
He said the Unit had
a representative each from all the constituent institutions of the College and
that with the support from the Deans/Director and the Heads of Department of
the College, the Unit would gradually and systematically strengthen the
education of health professionals through designing and administering academic
programmes.
“The unit is
also promoting education, research and innovation that include; student
support, student assessment, programme evaluation, faculty development as well
as policy and curriculum development”.
Reverend Professor
Patrick F. Ayeh-Kumi, Provost of the College of Health Sciences and Chairman
for the Seminar expressed happiness for seeing a good attendance at the
Seminar, adding that the University’s preparedness to partner industry to
undertake cutting-edge research would help to better the lives of people.
Prof Ayeh-Kumi was
also delighted that Novartis was ready to partner the College in several ways
that would be mutually beneficial to all and urged the faculty to position
themselves to take advantage of the opportunity Novartis was offering the
College to make the best out of it.
Dr. Patrice
Matchaba, Group Head, Global Health and Corporate Responsibility for Novartis,
Switzerland and lead speaker for the seminar explained why the seminar was
important to Novartis.
He stated that
Novartis was one of the largest Pharmaceutical organisations by both market
capitalization and sales and that the company’s purpose was to discover new
medicines and make them available at the right price and make innovation
affordable and accessible.
Dr Matchaba said
Novartis was in the lead of manufacturing drugs for malaria, leprosy, sickle
cell disease (SCD) and that approximately 80 per cent of individuals with SCD
globally are born in sub-Saharan Africa, and more than half of affected
individuals die before the age of five due to preventable complications.
“In Ghana, it
is estimated that 15,000 babies are born with sickle cell disease every year.
The first gene therapy for sickle cell disease was done in Africa”.
He praised the
government of Ghana led by the President for their support and commitment to
the fight against sickle cell disease.
Present among the
dignitaries were Professor Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, President of the Sickle Cell
Foundation of Ghana and Programme Coordinator at the National Newborn Screening
Programme for Sickle Cell Disease, Professor Solomon Fiifi Ofori-Acquah, Dean
of the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health
Sciences, and a prominent sickle cell disease scholar, Professor Robert Hinson,
Head of the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Ghana
Business School and a number of representatives from Novartis, the global
healthcare company based in Switzerland
GNA
