President Nana Akufo-Addo has made a passionate appeal to healthcare professionals to accept postings to rural and deprived communities.
Expressing concerns about the low number of doctors and dentists at the regional and district hospitals, he described the news about doctors refusing postings to these areas as distressing.
Speaking at the 60th-anniversary Lecture of the University of Ghana Medical School, President Akufo-Addo asked medical professionals to follow the example of their forebearers who accepted postings to rural areas to serve the needy.
The lecture brought together members from academia, medicines and students from the University.
Speaking on the theme 60 years of Quality Medical Education: the role of technology, the President indicated government is digitising all information at public hospitals across the country starting with the Teaching hospitals.
He said government will continue to pursue policies that will modernise and improve the health sector.
“Government is aiming to achieve universal Health Care where money will not be a barrier in accessing health care,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo also expressed his government’s determination to complete the agenda 111 hospital projects before his term ends as President of the Republic.
He stated that preparatory works on the project have been completed and was hopeful construction work will start soon, adding that it will improve access to healthcare in the country.
Former Deputy Director of WHO, Dr Anerfi Asamoah Baah, at the lecture also called for the expansion of the University of Ghana Medical School to train more doctors.
He said the UG Medical School has trained four thousand, five hundred and ten doctors so far, in its sixty years of existence describing the number as low.
President Akufo-Addo later donated a 51-seater bus to the school.