Be guided by Hippocratic Oath; President tells new doctors
The President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has admonished 42 freshly graduated doctors to step into the world of work guided by the Hippocratic Oath they have sworn.
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He indicated that the world of work for all and especially doctors would not be smooth sailing, stressing the need for them to be guided by the oath they had taken, while providing service.
“Remember that in all things it is your resoluteness, dedication, love for country and trust in God that will see you through,” he stated.
President Mahama gave the advice in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, at the 48th Congregation and third Oath Swearing and Induction ceremony for 42 newly-trained doctors graduating from the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences (UCCSMS) at the weekend.
The 42 new doctors are made up of 18 females and 24 males.
They took the Hippocratic Oath and were later inducted into the Medical and Dental Council.
Doctor-patient ratio
President Mahama said it was no secret that the country’s health sector was plagued with challenges, key among them being the low doctor-patient ratio.
He said his government was doing everything possible to resolve the doctor-patient gap and other pertinent issues affecting the health sector.
“The government is very much committed to finding innovative ways to resolve the challenges confronting the sector,” he said, noting, “After all, the wealth of a nation, it is said, is its health.”
The President said the graduation of the young doctors was encouraging, as it would shore up the doctor-patient ratio, saying, “The more I attend these congregations year after year, the more I become convinced that we are on the right path as far as addressing some of the challenges facing the health sector is concerned.”
He paid tribute to all who had contributed to making the UCCSMS one of the best in the country.
Vice Chancellor
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor D.D. Kuupole, said the doctors were part of 130 doctors produced by the UCCSMS in the last few years, adding that feedback indicated that the products were doing very well.
He said the academic board of the university, in the year under review, approved the establishment of the School of Allied Health Sciences.
He said the board also gave approval to the university to run six academic programmes, adding that it had started the process of obtaining accreditation from the National Accreditation Board and other relevant professional bodies, expressing the hope that the programmes would be mounted in the 2016/2017 academic year.
He said the SMS was working towards using the Effia Nkwanta Hospital as a teaching hospital for its students.
The Vice Chancellor called for the completion of structures to help the SMS to increase its intake.
Challenges
Prof. Kuupole said the main challenge facing the medical school was the non-completion of structures at its permanent site.
He commended the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) for its support towards completing some of the structures to help increase intake.
He advised the doctors to have passion for their work and keep researching and updating their professional knowledge.
The Chairman of the University Council, Nana Sam Brew Butler, commended the SMS for its high standards and excellence.
He urged the doctors to work by the virtues of honesty, integrity and professionalism, adding that their success would depend on their professionalism.
Dr Ayokunle Osonuga was adjudged the best graduating doctor, sweeping 14 of the 23 awards at stake.
He, on behalf of the graduating class, pledged to work to improve health service delivery wherever they found themselves.