A total of 52 students have graduated from the Health Access Institute (HAI) in Accra, as the institute reaffirmed its commitment to training competent, ethical and patient-centred health professionals for Ghana’s healthcare system.
The graduands were drawn from the institute’s Dispensing Technology and Medicine Counter Assistant programmes, both accredited by the Pharmacy Council.
Addressing the ceremony on Saturday, the President of HAI, Dr Charles Allotey, described the occasion as a significant milestone in the growth of the institute and in the professional journeys of the graduating students.
Dr Allotey recalled that the institute’s Higher National Diploma (HND) in Dispensing Technology received accreditation from the then National Accreditation Board, now the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), alongside approval from the Pharmacy Council in September 2017.
He said this development paved the way for the enrolment of the first cohort of pharmacy technician students in 2018.
According to him, the programme began with only three pioneering students but has since expanded to 111 students, comprising 16 males and 95 females, with women now forming the majority.
He added that the institute also runs Pharmacy Council-accredited training for Medicine Counter Assistants and has recorded a 100 per cent graduation rate over the years, attributing the success to effective teaching, close supervision and a supportive learning environment.
Dr Allotey noted that HAI is currently affiliated with the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) for its Intermediate National Diploma (I-ND) in Dispensing Technology programme.
On student welfare, he disclosed that some students had benefited from Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) support, fee subsidies and limited bursary schemes.
He said the institute plans to expand its scholarship and financial assistance packages through partnerships with local and international organisations, including collaborators from the Netherlands.
The Chairperson of the occasion, DCOP Dr Ellen Adobea Sam, underscored the importance of hand hygiene, strict adherence to standard operating procedures, and the responsible use of technology to enhance patient safety.
She urged the graduands to promptly report adverse drug reactions to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and to seek professional guidance when in doubt, cautioning that medicines could be harmful if not handled properly.
Dr Adobea Sam encouraged the graduands to view the ceremony not as an end, but as the beginning of greater responsibility, and called on them to uphold professionalism, integrity and excellence in their workplaces.
She noted that every safely dispensed medicine and every prevented error contribute to saving lives, and charged the graduands to serve as worthy ambassadors of the Health Access Institute while contributing meaningfully to improved healthcare delivery and patient safety in Ghana.
By Raymond Amponsah-Appiah
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