The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Prof. Dickson Adomako, says collaborations and innovations at local and international levels can help improve Ghana’s healthcare sector from its current level.

He emphasized that the global response to COVID-19 has demonstrated the importance of pooling and sharing resources such as medical equipment, specialist facilities, and expertise when addressing health challenges.

“The past few years have highlighted the world’s interconnectedness. COVID-19 demonstrated how health challenges in one region can quickly become global issues affecting everyone. This reality emphasizes the need for collaboration, innovation, and solidarity in addressing these challenges” he said.

A group picture of the participants at the Global Health Catalyst Summit, Ghana.

Prof. Adomako made these remarks at the inaugural Global Health Catalyst (GHC) Summit in Accra, organized through collaborations between the Global Health Catalyst USA, University of Pennsylvania, GAEC, the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Peace and Love Hospital, and the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre.

The summit brought together leading health experts, researchers, advocacy groups, and government officials to discuss and collaborate on advances in global health, focusing on cancer care and treatment in Ghana.

He noted that Ghana has made significant progress in improving and managing cancer-related cases, combating infectious diseases, and improving maternal and child health. “However, more work remains to be done to improve Ghanaians’ overall health status ” he added.

He encouraged participants to share actionable concepts and ideas for addressing difficult health issues, improving care quality, and strengthening Ghana’s health systems.

One of the Global Health Catalyst Directors, Prof. Steven Avery, stated that the summit’s purpose was to bring people together to collaborate and find solutions to global health issues.

“Not just scientists, but also religious leaders, community leaders, policymakers, and government officials are involved. The primary goal is not merely to convene and discuss the problem, but to collaborate on generating solutions” he said.

Prof. Avery stated that the summit was simply a stepping stone to future projects in Ghana, adding, “We are excited about the time we spent here and the many projects that we have in mind. We intend to establish Ghana as an African center of excellence, serving as a training, education, and research hub for regional countries.”

On his part, the Director of the Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute (RAMSRI) of GAEC, Prof. Francis Hasford, expressed his gratitude for the GHC collaboration and the various projects that have emerged.

A panel of experts delivering their presentations at the Global Health Catalyst Summit, Ghana.

“Out of this collaboration, Ghana is actively pursuing CAMPEP accreditation in medical physics. Additionally, efforts are underway to establish an AI Centre of Excellence in Ghana with the goal of transforming the training of medical physicists, biomedical engineers, and other professionals. There are also plans to establish an International Centre for Global Health Research” he added.

The summit witnessed quality conversations and panel discussions from high profile speakers including, Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann and Prof. Raymond Atuguba of the University of Ghana, Prof. Joel Yarney and Prof. Verna Vanderpuye of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Eric Addison of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Prof. Edem Sosu and Prof. Francis Hasford of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission.

Other speakers included Prof. Stephen Avery and Prof. Shannon O’Reilly of the University of Pennsylvania, Prof. David Pate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Dr. Laurence Court of the MD Anderson Cancer Centre, and Prof. Afua Yorke of the University of Washington.

Also on the panel were Prof. Mary Boadu, Dr. Theodosia Adom and Dr. Theophilus Narh of GAEC, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai of Peace and Love Hospital, Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno of the Ministry of Health, and Dr. Klenam Dzefi-Tettey of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

BY: CPRC/CCD

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