VP Urges New Doctors to Serve Underserved Rural Areas
Vice‑President Prof Naana Jane Opoku‑Agyemang urged the 23 newly graduated doctors at Accra College of Medicine’s 10th anniversary ceremony on 6 December 2025 to serve communities with the greatest need rather than personal convenience.
Speaking at the sixth Congregation of the Accra College of Medicine (ACM) in Accra, she said the doctors’ training represents a national call to duty, requiring them to extend quality health care to areas where service gaps are most critical.
“I remind you that the privilege of your training comes with a duty to save, not where it is easiest, but where you are most needed,” she stated. “You are entering a profession built on service, courage and equity. Let your choices reflect not just your ambitions, but your commitment to the oath.”
The ceremony saw 23 students receive Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degrees, joining the nation’s freshly trained medical workforce. Outstanding performers were honoured with special prizes and awards.
Prof Opoku‑Agyemang also called on graduates to honour their families, lecturers and the values of integrity, empathy, leadership and community service that ACM instils. She praised ACM’s decade‑long evolution from a modest vision into a fully accredited medical school that now supplies doctors to hospitals across Ghana.
Highlighting the college’s inclusive admissions, she noted that ACM offers opportunities to passionate candidates who might have missed the cut‑off of public medical schools. “By recognising potential where others place limitations, ACM has shown us that excellence can come from combining nurturing with perseverance,” she said.
The Vice‑President lauded ACM’s modern teaching technologies, partnerships with local and international institutions, and outreach programmes that bring health services to underserved communities. She appealed for increased donor support to boost the college’s research, innovation and global collaboration capacity in the coming decade.
Ekwow Spio‑Garbrah, chairman of the Africa Education Trust Fund, described ACM as a model of visionary Ghanaian leadership that should inspire continent‑wide replication. He said the Fund, created in the spirit of GETFund, could back pan‑African medical universities to strengthen health training across the region.
Prof Afua A. J. Hesse, president of ACM, outlined the school’s remarkable growth, citing rising enrolment, small class sizes and upgraded facilities such as digital anatomy systems, virtual patient simulators and expanded internet infrastructure. She highlighted scholarship opportunities, increasing female participation and strong academic performance.
“Ninety‑seven per cent of our alumni currently serve in hospitals and health institutions in Ghana,” she reported. “Our graduates are providing health care at district, regional and teaching hospitals, aligning our work with national health priorities.”
Looking ahead, Prof Hesse announced plans for graduate‑entry programmes, stronger research capacity, expanded scholarships and deeper global partnerships to drive innovation and broaden access to quality medical education.
The vice‑president’s call underscores Ghana’s ongoing battle to reduce health inequities, urging the newest cohort of doctors to bring their skills to the frontlines where the need is greatest.
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