By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey/ Jenifer Tetteh
Accra, Feb. 17, GNA – The Deputy Minister for Health, Mr Maham Asei Seini, has asked the Medical and Dental Council to develop a supervision model to regulate the works of doctors, dentist, physician assistants and their training institutions.
That, he said, was needed to secure the public interest and ensure high standards in the training and practice of the profession.
Mr Seini said this at the induction of 349 newly qualified physician assistants in the medical, oral health, and anesthesia fields into practice in Accra on Friday.
The newly qualified medical professionals were trained in 15 different private and public universities and colleges across the country.
The Deputy Minister said the inductees would augment the current strength of about 6,642 physician assistants serving in various parts of the country.
He also asked the Council to conduct monitoring visits to all accredited physician assistant training schools to check their level of compliance.
“We are aware of the low standards of training in some of the physician assistant training schools. Any training school, which is no longer in compliance with the Councils’ standards must be de-accredited.”
Mr Seini said the Ministry would conduct a needs assessment to know the number of physician assistants required to deliver optimal healthcare services in the country.
He advised the professionals to serve the populace with diligence, integrity, dedication, and respect.
Dr Divine Ndonbi Banyubala, Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council, who inducted the practitioners, said their transition from students to practitioners implied that human lives were directly entrusted into their care.
He urged them to promote and protect the public’s health, safety, and wellbeing by assuring and maintaining confidence and trust in the medical profession and its members.
He also asked them to promote and maintain public confidence in the healthcare system by prescribing and enforcing professional standards in their line of work.
He advised them to give off their best during their internship as the Council would monitor and track their performance.
“You must remember that this great profession requires you to always give a gentile smile, be a listening ear, have a kind heart, calm nerves and have a humble, decent, gentle and reassuring persona, all cloths in integrity and respect for human dignity,” he said.
GNA