Medical Students appeals to Gov't

Story: George Ernest Asare & Benjamin Glover, Beijing Ghanaian students studying medicine in China have made a passionate appeal to the government to either subsidise the cost of their training abroad as done to their colleagues studying medicine at home , or negotiate with the Ghana Dental and Medical Council to scrap the fees charged during their two-year Housemanship in Ghana. They pointed out that in addition to paying over $100,000 to cover the cost of studying medicine in China, the Ghana Dental and Medical Council also demands as much as $9,000 as fees from them before they are allowed to undertake their Housemanship that qualify them to practice in Ghana. Expressing concern about the huge cost of studying medicine abroad during an interaction with Daily Graphic in Beijing , the President of the Medical Students in China, Mr. Francis Openi-Goka pointed out that government’s intervention was necessary because it will not only adequately motivate them focus on their programmes, but will also entice them to accept postings to every corner of Ghana to support quality health care delivery. Speaking on behalf of the medical students during the interaction, Mr. Openi-Goka who attends the Hebei North University noted that the few medical schools in Ghana denies a chunk of students who qualify to study medicine the opportunity to seek admission in Ghana . He said since the system created in Ghana undermines the quest of training as many doctors as possible for them to address the health care needs of the ordinary Ghanaian, the only option for those who qualify to study medicine , but are denied that opportunity, was to seek admission elsewhere around the globe , hence their presence in China. “Unfortunately, the huge cost of studying medicine in China, coupled with the fees demanded by the Ghana Dental and Medical Council during our Housemanship is unbearable, hence our humble appeal to the government to intervene. This will greatly motivate us to focus on our programme, acquire the requisite expertise and support government in providing quality and sustainable health care delivery to the ordinary Ghanaian. ” He explained. Explaining further, Mr. Openi- Goka said “Apart from the huge fees demanded from us, we also pay $10.00 each day as accommodation fees during our Housemanship in Ghana, so without government’s intervention, many potential doctors will fall by the wayside, and Ghana will eventually be the loser” Mr. Openi- Goka noted further that like their colleagues in Ghana, their parents do not only provide services to support sustainable socio-economic development, but also honour all their tax obligations. This , he noted enable the government generate the needed revenue to develop education and all sectors of the economy, hence the need for government to also support them financially to build their capacity more meaningfully . Touching on the Housemanship, he said it was due to the subsidy government provides for medical students in Ghana throughout their study period that they are mandated to do the two-year Housemanship to reciprocate government’s financial support towards their studies. He complained that notwithstanding the fact that medical students abroad do not benefit from such facility, they go through the same process of the two-year Housemanship, and therefore described the system as unfair. “we are not foreigners, we are Ghanaians whose parents at home honour all their tax obligations, so if our colleagues back home benefit from government subsidies that enable them develop their potentials more proficiently, why should we be denied such facility” he bemoaned. For his part, Mr. Stephen Kofi Amankwa, also a Medical Student and President of the African Student Union in China appealed to government to create a better working condition for medical practitioner to motivate those who study outside the country to return home after their studies. -END- April 19, 2012