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ACM marks decade of existence
Having gone through a myriad of challenges, moments to cheer about and the dying inclination to aspire for greater heights, the Accra College of Medicine (ACM) has every reason to pause and look at its journey for the past decade.
The university’s 10th anniversary symposium was held recently under the theme: ‘A decade of excellence in medical education. Celebrating a legacy, shaping the future.’
The President of (ACM), Prof. Afua Adwo Jectey Hesse, said, “God has a purpose for the establishment of the university, and this really gives me joy.”
Commenting on the reason behind the establishment of the university during a panel discussion, Prof. Afua A.J. Hesse stated that the idea was born out of a concern raised by his son who observed that, “Though there are many qualified students who can read medicine in Ghana, the existing institutions cannot accommodate all of them. So why can’t we start a medical school to cater for this growing number of students”?
Prof. Hesse said it was incredible that the university was 10 years old and advised the students to always do what was essential in their practice. She assured them that there was a future for them, provided they took their studies seriously.
She said though there were a few collections at the beginning, the university could now boast of over 25, 000 documents.
Prof. Afua A.J. Hesse underlined that at the time of her medical practice, the practitioners had no luxury of numbers. One was compelled to cater for one’s family and equally discharged her duties as a doctor.
She said ACM was committed to training students to pursue excellence and to make a difference in the lives of others with compassion, empathy, joy, love, passion, and enthusiasm.
Dr Eli Atikpui, the Director of Institutional Advancement, Standards and External Relations, who was one of the panel members, described the decision by Prof. Rev. Frederick Adukwei Hesse, a co-founder of ACM, and his wife as a bold step in establishing the university.
He said being the first private medical institution, the Medical and Dental Council had to establish a check list which comprised a detailed questionnaire for the founders of the university to respond to, and was happy they provided the required answers.
Dr Atikpui noted that though the number of Ghanaian doctors had increased, a large percentage of them were stationed in Accra while another percentage was also stationed in Kumasi.
Prof. Alfred E. Yawson, a Consultant Public Health Physician, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, another member of the panel, indicated that the couple were his lectures at the University of Ghana Medical School, and he was not surprised about the feat they had chalked over the period.
By Raymond Kyekye
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The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has urged Ghanaians to make regular physical activity part of their daily routines to improve blood glucose control and reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
It said regular exercise helped the body use insulin more effectively, thereby improving blood sugar regulation and contributing to better overall health.
The call forms part of the Service’s 30-day diabetes awareness campaign ahead of this year’s World Diabetes Day, which is observed on November 14.
The GHS encouraged people to engage in simple physical activities such as walking, dancing, cycling and gardening.
It noted that staying physically active did not necessarily require expensive gym memberships, as everyday activities, including household chores, could contribute to maintaining an active lifestyle.
The Service advised adults to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, stressing the importance of starting with manageable activities and gradually building consistency.
It further encouraged people living with diabetes to combine regular physical activity with prescribed treatment and a healthy diet to help manage the condition.
The awareness campaign, being undertaken ahead of World Diabetes Day, is aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle choices and encouraging early action to prevent and manage diabetes.
This year’s World Diabetes Day is being observed under the theme “early action on diabetes,” with November 14 set aside to raise awareness of the condition and the importance of prevention, early detection and proper management.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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We take certain things for granted but it should not be so, especially if you can read, write and understand what is said on TV and Radio in English. Usually at 7:00 pm, I watch the news on one of the popular media channels and it was no big deal until a few days ago.
As I listened to a radio presenter on a popular Fm station, the important role my parents played in my life, as far as education is concerned, suddenly dawned on me. The usual style at the start of the programme, is to play a very funny interaction between a man who identifies himself as Barry …and a Ghanaian man called Akwasi.
This Barry guy apparently was talking to Akwasi by phone and he was speaking in English and Akwasi asked him to speak English, meanwhile Akwasi did not understand the English language, so he quickly asked the Barry guy to change to Twi, when he realised that the intonation was not the normal Ghanaian one.
I really had a good laugh and that was when I realised that my parents had indeed helped me by giving me access to education.
Imagine going to enter a place and they have written push on the door frame and because you cannot read, you decide to assume that you need to pull the door towards you and the embarrassment you will go through, pulling with all your might and especially at places with glass doors at the main entrance, everybody watching you and you struggling with the door for quite a few seconds before deciding to push.
It is in moments like that, that you either start blessing your parents or otherwise, depending on whether they sent you to school or not. There are things we consider as little that we take for granted but in reality, it is a big deal if you are not educated.
I recently had to go to an office located in the Ridge Hospital area and it was located on one of the floors of a story building. The protocol requires that visitors to the place log their details in a book provided for that purpose.
You write the date, your name etc., the usual. Imagine for a moment that you are Akosua Seiwaa, an uneducated person, who is going to see someone in one of the offices in the building and you are required to fill the log book with your details. It suddenly generates a stressful situation for you.
The FM programme really set me thinking about how grateful we ought to be to our parents or guardians who gave us access to education such that we have the confidence to go boldly to all kinds of places without stress.
Just imagine going to a hospital and given a whole bunch of medication. As is usually the case, the pharmacist mentions your name and immediately starts telling you the number of times and the various dosage you are to take them.
He or she then goes to the next person and chances are you are likely to forget some of the instructions. If you are uneducated, how are you going to identify the right dosages and any other special instructions you need. There is a saying that ‘If you can read this, thank a teacher.’ I think it should rather be, ‘If you can read this, thank your parents.’
There was another recording of a hilarious conversation on the show between two ladies one of whom was uneducated and did not understand “It’s been a while”. Apparently a church member met her and she said to her it’s been a while and did not know how to respond till a young girl she was walking with explained to her in Twi “Ose ohuu wo aky3”.
She was bitterly complaining to the friend that had it not been the young girl, she would have been greatly embarrassed with this “it’s been a while, it’s been a while” that the church member said to her. Do not laugh alone. Share. God bless.
