Establishment of College of Physicians and Surgeons has reduced attrition rate of doctors – NHIA Board Chair

At the main auditorium of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, over two hundred doctors have undergone a special medical training to upgrade skills in their respective medical fields.

Among them is the Board Chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Ernest Kwarko, Specialist Obstetrician Gynaecologist, now a fellow of the College.

Just like his colleagues, commitment to serving the country’s health sector is embedded in patriotism.

50% of Ghanaian doctors are said to have left the country to seek better conditions abroad, according to the Ghana Human Development Report. One of the reasons for the exodus is inadequate training for doctors.

However, the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, a public institution has since 2003, provided post-graduate medical training in medicine, surgery and related disciplines.

The College has helped in retaining most doctors with some rated at the highest medical level serving some district hospitals in the country.

Dr Ernest Ernest Kwarko argues that the establishment of the College has contributed to about 25% retention rate.

“I think it goes without saying that if you train critical health staff here, you need to retain them, so that they can deliver the needed services. That said, we would have to say a big thank you to Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, especially, to President Kufour who out of odds insisted that we need a local college to retain specialists here.

Before the College was set up, if you did an exit interview for newly trained doctors, who have just left the medical school, 7 out of 10 were destined to go outside. Then in 2003 the College was officially inaugurated. A year after that, we did a cursory exit interview and now the figures have turned. Now attrition rate has gone down to about 25% retention. It tells you the role of the College,” he revealed.

According to the NHIA Board Chairman, the College needs more funding in order to train more professional doctors to enhance the country’s health sector.

Regular release of funds allocated to the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons has helped in keeping the College afloat as corroborated by the Rector.

“As the head of the governing Board of the NHIA, I made sure that this year all the money that was allocated to them (College) was actually released to them” Dr Ernest Kwarko said in an interview with 3news on November 29.

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