The University of Aberdeen today (May 29) plays host to Ghana’s Health Minister and a team of Government health officials.
The visitors Hon Major Courage Quarshigah and his team arrived in Aberdeen last night and are in the city on a fact-finding trip until Wednesday (May 31).
The University of Aberdeen has organised the visit in cooperation with IMMPACT, a high profile global research initiative, co-ordinated by the University, which is striving to improve maternal health in developing countries; NHS Grampian, and Aberdeen City Council.
The Ghana delegation is here to share experiences in health promotion and health care and to discuss mutual interests in workforce planning and training programmes.
The visit has been organised by IMMPACT in cooperation with Visiting Professor Sam Adjei, Deputy Director of Ghana Health Service, who currently works with IMMPACT on initiatives to bridge the gap between science and policy making.
Professor Adjei said: “We are delighted to welcome our visitors from Ghana. I am sure that the visit will be a shared learning experience as our guests from Ghana will discuss their experience in the field of health with their hosts.”
Alex Cumming, Chief Executive Officer of IMMPACT, said: “I hope this visit will consolidate the already very good relationship IMMPACT has with the Government of Ghana.
“Our main interest is in improving maternal health in Ghana, but we fully appreciate that for this to happen, the Ghana Health Service must function effectively and we very much hope that this visit will provide some useful information and contacts which will be of practical help to the Ghana Health Service.”
Ghana, a former colony of the UK is a West African developing country, and has one of the most stable health systems with many opportunities to further develop the level of health across its population.
The Ghanaian health system is led in implementation of policies by the Ghana Health Service which is modelled along the UK NHS system. There is a great emphasis on the overall health development and health promotion and rehabilitation, with significant progress made in various areas of health.
This provides a good platform for inspiration and lessons to be learnt, as well as collaboration and partnerships for health initiatives and aid projects in some of the poorer neighbouring countries.
The health sector in Ghana, however, faces severe financing difficulties and has had to rely heavily on donors and external support, and is additionally faced with a shortage of skills in the medical field.
The Government has been trying to combat an increasing problem of nurses leaving Ghana for better paid jobs in developed countries where there is a similar great need for staff in the hospital sector.
It is hoped that the visit will establish links between Ghana and Scotland and provide a platform for mutual beneficial training programmes.
Today the Ghana representatives were visiting:
· The Torry Project - an excellent example of a health promotion project in a deprived area. It will discuss how the project is managed collaboratively between the NHS, Aberdeen City Council and the Grampian Police.
· The Robert Gordon University to discuss clinical skills development and the training of nurses with a view to developing a joint training programme with Ghana
· The Turriff Health Centre to learn more about health care delivery to a remote area and how the GP system is organised.
Tomorrow the visitors will be based at the Old Town House, Old Aberdeen for presentations and discussions about IMMPACT, Health Promotion, health training, postgraduate medicine and training and exchange opportunities.