School of Public Health Celebrates Three Decades of Public Health Education, Research and Service
The School of Public Health has climaxed three decades of dedication to public health education, research and service with a colourful event that brought together staff, students, alumni and key stakeholders.
Chairman for the event and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Innovation, and Development, Prof. Felix Ankomah Asante, noted that the School has been instrumental in training healthcare professionals equipped with the skills to diagnose and address community health challenges at the district, regional and national levels.
“The School has expanded from its humble beginnings of two rooms which was housed in the ISSER building complex to six active departments each contributing to the depth and breadth of public health education in the country”, he said.
He added that the School of Public Health has strengthened its research capabilities through strategic collaborations with both local and international institutions. ‘These partnerships have not only fueled infrastructural development but also enriched the School's training programmes and curricula.’
Prof. Ankomah also commended the School for consistently excelling in research publications, grant acquisitions and funds mobilisation, making a significant impact on both academia and the broader health sector.
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service and an alumnus of the School, Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye, in delivering the keynote address, called on the School to ‘seize the opportunity to deepen its relationships with its actors in shifting the frontiers of public health education and practice in Ghana.’
Dr. Aboagye further stated that, “over the past three decades, the School of Public Health has been instrumental in training highly qualified personnel, conducting groundbreaking research and offering expert advice to policy formulation and issues such as disease prevention, maternal and child health, environmental health and in recent times pandemic preparedness including creating models for us on our interventions.”
Dean of the School, Prof. Kwasi Torpey, highlighted some infrastructural developments the School has invested in, including the completion of the west wing building, creation of smart classrooms, the construction of a bypass road between Noguchi and UGEL hostels as well as improved internet connectivity for learning and research.
He also mentioned some upcoming projects, which include the expansion of the library, office space for alumni and the creation of a safe space for breastfeeding mothers in the School.
He additionally disclosed that one of the focus areas within the next decade would be sanitation in the era of climate change.
Special Guest of Honour, Country Director of KOICA Ghana, Mr. Dong Hyun Lee, speaking on the theme, acknowledged the School’s contributions to global health resilience which resonates with KOICA`s strong commitment in advancing health security and development globally.
He also threw light on the fact that the Government of the Republic of Korea and KOICA have been privileged to work alongside the School of Public Health on two global health agenda projects which span from 2018 to 2027, totalling around $18.5million. The project supports the building of well strengthened health systems and most importantly preparing for the health challenges of today and tomorrow. "This partnership has enabled us to safeguard public health, protect the wellbeing of communities and foster a legacy of shared learning and collaboration", he said.
Representatives from key international organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Country Coordinating Mechanism Ghana (CCM), delivered congratulatory speeches highlighting the school's achievements in terms of education, research and community engagement.
The event also featured a cake cutting ceremony as well as performances by the Ghana Dance Ensemble.