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Construction of Teaching Hospital for KNUST to start soon The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been given the green light for the construction of a Teaching Hospital for the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) due to commence in three weeks. The 750 bed ultra-modern facility to be situated in the university is expected to reduce the inadequate space, congestion, inadequate lecturer rooms, and lack of accommodation space the students and lecturers of the university are battling with at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) during their clinical training programme. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor William Otoo Ellis, disclosed this at the 18th oath swearing ceremony of new doctors from the School of Medical Sciences at the College of Health Sciences. Professor Ellis acknowledged government�s contribution to the university and appealed to the government, once again, to wholly take up this project by injecting the necessary funds for early completion. He said the School of Medical Sciences continue to receive more applicants to enroll in the Medical School in the face of resource constraints hence management�s decision to expand the infrastructure base with the construction of a Simulation Centre at the Clinical students� Hostel at KATH to equip students with requisite skills for effective clinical training. He also added that plans are far advanced to construct a Basic Sciences Block for the School all towards increasing the intake. The Food Science and Technology don intimated that the School will explore the use of District Hospitals in the region as training sites through an initiate called the �Network of Teaching Sites Programme�. This is aimed at easing congestion of clinical teaching at KATH, strengthen community-oriented training and enhance service delivery at the participating District Hospitals. He called on the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Medical and Dental Council for support in the quest to achieving these goals. He appealed to the new doctors to hold high and value human life above money which �predominate everything we do� to help Ghana. Professor Tsiri E. Agbenyegah, Provost of the College of Health Sciences and the Chairman of the Ghana Medical and Dental Council advised the young doctors to continue in their quest of life-long learning while keeping in mind the principles to save humanity. He took the doctors through the ethics of the profession. The Dean of the School of Medical Sciences, Professor K.A. Danso said the School is working towards the expansion of undergraduate intake and introduce new post graduate programmes. The School according to him has also reviewed the curricula for both the Human Biology and the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery programmes towards ensuring the quality of graduates being produced. Professor Danso advised the new doctors to be good ambassadors of KNUST and remember their alma mater and contribute towards its development. He cautioned them against shortcuts to fame and riches. In all, 92 doctors including 9 Nigerians took the �Hippocratic Oath�. 48 of the inductees were females and the rest males, which according to the Dean confirm the university�s commitment towards gender development and women empowerment. Since its introduction some 36 year ago, the SMS has trained about 1624 doctors majority of whom are still at post in Ghana and contributing their quota to the health needs of the country.