Professor Ernest Aryeteey, Vice Chancellor
of University of Ghana on Wednesday called for research into human health perspective on climate change for a better understanding of its impact on human health.
He admitted that the challenges were enormous but there was the need for the Government to provide resources to mitigate the effects of climate change especially on the poor and vulnerable in society.
Prof. Aryeteey was addressing the opening session of the three-day 2010 Annual General and Scientific Meeting (AGSM) of College of Ghana Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) in Accra.
He noted that the college needed to go beyond training medical practitioners and venture into research to influence policy.
The Vice Chancellor said the University of Ghana was seeking partnership with Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research (NMIMR) and the College to support the research to enable the country tackle the effects of climate change.
The meeting on the theme: "Global Warming and Health", would review reports and activities of the year and admit new fellows and members.
Prof. Aryeteey called for networking among practitioners to build capacity and enhance their effectiveness and asked the newly admitted
Fellows and Members to cultivate the habit of improving health delivery in the country.
Deputy Minister of Health, Rojo Mettle-Nunoo commended the College for reducing brain drain and improving efficiency in health care delivery.
He noted that the Ministry of Health (MOH) was fully aware of the mandate and problems facing the College such as accommodation and would address the issues and streamline sponsorship for residents.
Mr Mettle-Nunoo commended the College for the themes chosen for their previous meetings and noted that it had reflected positively and impacted on situations in the country adding, the 2010 theme was also very apt.
He noted that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) would not be achieved if the effects of climate change were not mitigated.
President of the College, Prof. George Wereko-Brobby extolled the virtues of Prof. Paul Nyame, the First Rector and Prof. Samuel
Ofosu Amaah, immediate past President and others who toiled to bring the establishment of the College into fruition.
He said there was the need to adjust health infrastructure in education at the postgraduate level in particular to focus on sustainability and limit to growth.
"Lifestyle changes such as active transportation will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Long walking exercises will mitigate climate change and will have positive influence on obesity, heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases, road traffic injuries and
osteoporosis", he said.
Prof Wereko-Brobby said the College had accepted progress and changes in its efforts to improve post graduate education in Ghana and called on the Government to improve conditions and provide facilities, resources, incentives and the enabling environment within the health system to empower health professional practice what they were taught.
He commended government for the resolve to sponsor all post graduate doctors in the residency programme who passed their rigorous entrance examination organised by the College.
Prof. David Ofori-Adjei, Acting Rector of the College, said the training of doctors and specialists must be an integral part of the
trajectory of the health care system and urged the Ministry to determine the number and types of health facilities, minimum requirement for equipment and staffing norms.
He said a progressive plan starting at the regional level through districts was required and assured the Ministry of the availability of the
College's expertise.
Prof Ofori-Adjei said admission to the College had some challenges including frustrations, anxiety and uncertainty when the
Ministry announced a change in sponsorship arrangement.
This notwithstanding, he said, the College had since 2007 to 2010, produced about 198 specialists; the number steadily raising steeply
from eight in 2007, to 41 in 2008, 66 in 2009 and 84 in 2010.
On challenges, the Rector said, the College was not attracting residents into deprived specialties like Anaesthesia, Laboratory Medicine, Psychiatry and Family medicine but gave the assurance that it would continue to pursue avenues to enhance interest in those areas.
Prof Ofori-Adjei said the College's drive at reducing brain drain was gaining ground and noted that between 1999 and 2003, there was cumulative loss of 450 medical officers to the country as compared to 205 from 2004 to 2008, about 54.4 per cent.
He stated that the College was an attractive destination for specialist training in the West African Sub-Region.