By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, June 24, GNA – Professor Samuel A. Debrah, President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, has called for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s postgraduate medical training curriculum to align with modern healthcare demands.
He said the current structure of specialist training must be reoriented to equip future medical professionals with skills that extend beyond traditional clinical practice.
Prof Debrah made the call during an inaugural lecture on the theme: Postgraduate Medical Education and Training in Ghana: Now and the Future.
“The future specialist must not only understand disease but also appreciate the technologies that shape diagnosis, treatment, and prevention,” he said.
Prof Debrah emphasised that the future of healthcare was rapidly changing due to advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence, data science and digital health systems.
He noted that emerging trends were moving healthcare delivery from diagnosing and treating diseases to predicting and preventing them, making it imperative for training programmes to reflect that transition.
Prof Debrah stressed that postgraduate medical education must incorporate competencies such as digital literacy, data interpretation, innovation management and system improvement.
He explained that reforms would improve the quality of specialist training and prepare graduates to operate effectively in a decentralised and technology-driven healthcare system.
Prof Debrah said the integration of tools such as telemedicine and remote monitoring systems into training would enable specialists to extend services to underserved communities, thereby improving access to care nationwide.
He underscored the importance of research, innovation and continuous quality improvement in medical education, noting that these elements were essential in building a resilient and responsive healthcare system.
Despite progress made in postgraduate training, Prof Debrah identified inadequate funding as a major challenge affecting the development and implementation of modernised curricula.
He said addressing the funding gap was critical to upgrading training infrastructure, expanding learning resources and supporting innovation within medical institutions.
Prof Debrah called on government, academic institutions and stakeholders in the health sector to collaborate in reviewing and strengthening the curriculum to meet both current and future healthcare needs.
He said Ghana must position itself not only as a consumer of medical innovations but also as an active contributor to shaping healthcare solutions within Africa and beyond.
Prof Debrah expressed optimism that with the right investments and reforms, Ghana could build a robust postgraduate medical training system capable of producing highly skilled specialists to meet national and global demands.
He noted that without deliberate curriculum reform, the country risked producing specialists unprepared for the rapidly evolving landscape of modern healthcare.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey