269 COMAHS students take oath
One of the leading GSM operators in the country, Africell on Saturday 7th December, 2013 supported the swearing-in ceremony of the 18th set of Doctors, and 13th set of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians among the 269 graduands of the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), University of Sierra Leone at the college’s campus, Kossoh Town in the outskirts of Freetown.
The graduands included 37 Medical Doctors; 21 Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians; 4 BSc. Nurses; 76 Diploma Nurses; 120 Certificate Nurses and 11 Medical Laboratory Technicians.
The Acting Vice Chancellor and Principal of COMAHS, Professor Ekundayo Thompson stated that the college was established to meet the medical needs of the country’s growing population with an average life expectancy of 40 years due to the heavy disease burden, poor health infrastructure and inadequate human resources.
He added that the number of health professionals with the appropriate skills mix was needed to ameliorate the situation through the provision of services and training of quality personnel.
Professor Ekundayo Thompson also congratulated the graduands stating that the success of young medical practitioners’ ethics is moral principles to help in the development of the profession underscoring, “a healthy nation is a wealthy nation as the college is trying to regain its past glory as the Athens of Africa” due to the decline in the standard of education in the country.
Dr. Mohamed Samai, COMAHS Acting Provost said the college was established twenty-five years ago but observed that the attrition rate among health professionals, particularly doctors and nurses, led Government, in partnership with the Nigerian Government and the World Health Organization (WHO), to establish COMAHS on 12th April 1988 to produce health professionals with the appropriate skills to deliver quality health care services.
He further articulated that COMAHS has made noticeable achievements since its establishment and has attracted students not only from Sierra Leone but beyond the sub-region and revealed that the number of students enrolled into the various programs has increased significantly over the period.
The Guest of Honor, the Managing Director, Rokel Commercial Bank, Victor Keith Cole advised the graduands to take time to enjoy as now is the time for them to prove themselves after going through their various courses over the years and reminded them this is not the end of the journey but the beginning.
He went on to say that they have a critical role to play in the country which health situation does not meet international standard and encouraged them to follow the good example of some of the Doctors that used their profession to save lives and not to enrich themselves.
To the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mr. Cole said “Sierra Leone is in dire need of Medical Doctors. I am appealing to you to provide the enabling environment for them to operate by ensuring that they have attractive conditions of services and their needs met at all times.”
Pharmacist, Alhaji Murtada Sesay, who chaired the ceremony, articulated that the training of medical practitioners indicates that the country is progressing and admonished graduands to recognize their career, have regard for patients and work collectively to enhance the health delivery system for the development of the country.
Health and Sanitation Minister, Miatta Kargbo commended the college administration and lecturers who have demonstrated commitment and dedication in training the graduands and equip them with the requisite knowledge to meet the needs of the rapidly changing health sector and assured that the Ministry would continue to advocate for the improvement of medical education as a priority and bring in new partners to complement the efforts of Government in funding post-graduate programs.
Miatta Kargbo further lauded the World Bank and other partners for their support and urged them to continue supporting the improvement of medical education in the country.
She further stated that the President’s vision for healthcare is already paying dividend with more than 150% increase in under-five consultations, more than 50% increase in institutional deliveries, 94% elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS and the construction of more than 1,120 Peripheral Health Units nationwide.
The Minister also noted that the graduands would play a pivotal role to attain the MDGs 4 and 5 related to the delivery of quality and timely healthcare services nationwide.
Deputy Education Minister I, Oswald Hanciles said that Government accepts the fact that the standard of education is falling at all levels and underlined that the new medical practitioners must pursue excellence in their practice as well as maintain discipline, integrity, innovation and excellence.
One of the graduands, James Kapri Kanu, who rendered the vote of thanks, commended Africell for its tremendous contributions to the development of the country which clearly demonstrates that it is the only GSM operator that cares for the wellbeing of not only the ordinary man but also Doctors and the Nurses in the country.
The ceremony was climaxed with the swearing-in of graduands and the unveiling of the Service Delivering Charter at the entrance of the COMAHS library by Professor Sahr Gbamanja.
By Abdul R. Bedor Kamara
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