Medical assistants not be to trained as doctors
Accra, Nov. 21, GNA – Mr Samuel Owusu-Agyei, a
Deputy Health Minister, has said that the idea of
training medical assistants through distance
learning to qualify them as doctors was not an
options being considered by the Health Ministry to
deal with the issue of shortages of doctors.
“The Ministry is very much aware of the shortage of
doctors and has several plans to curb this
phenomenon. However, the option of training medical
assistants with 10 years post-training experience
through distance learning is not one of the options
being considered,” he said in Parliament on Tuesday.
Mr Owusu-Agyei was responding to a question on the
need to consider providing medical assistants, who
have 10 years or more experience, further training
to qualify then as doctors to address the brain
drain phenomenon among doctors.
The Deputy Minister said: “Currently, the Ministry
has started the Direct Medical Assistant Training
programme for four years and their intake will be
increased with time. This will obviously increase
their numbers to help to mitigate the impact of the
shortage of doctors.”
In response to another question from Dr Anthony
Akoto Osei, Deputy Finance Minister, on plans to
upgrade the Old Tafo Hospital in Kumasi, Mr
Owusu-Agyei said the upgrading of the Hospital had
already started and was being done in phases because
of inadequate funding.
“The current phase of upgrading involves the
construction of a maternity unit, which is nearing
completion.”
He said other essential units such as a theatre and
diagnostic services units would be considered in the
next phase of the Hospital’s upgrading.
GNA
