Professor Johnson Nyarko Boampong, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has urged the newly graduated midwives from the university to consistently upgrade their skills to deliver their duties effectively.
In his address, Prof. Boampong emphasized the importance of continuous professional development and the need for midwives to stay updated with new developments and approaches in the field. He stated, “Make a commitment to ongoing professional development, keeping abreast of new developments and approaches to caring for mothers and babies.”
The Vice-Chancellor made these remarks during the eighth session of the University's 55th Congregation, where 1,750 midwives from 27 Nursing and Midwifery Training Colleges (NMTCs) affiliated with UCC were honoured.
These midwives completed their Top-up Diploma in Midwifery program in 2022, and they constituted the seventh cohort of graduating students since UCC entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Health to run the program.
The breakdown of honours among the graduates was as follows: 277 obtained first-class honours, 884 achieved second-class upper honours, 394 received second-class lower honours, 148 secured third-class honours, and 47 graduated with a pass.
The Best Graduating Student, with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.0, was Ms Kate Agyakomah.
Prof. Boampong stressed that being a midwife is not just a job but a calling, requiring dedication to the well-being of both mothers and babies during and after childbirth. He said, “You will be the first person a mother turns to for support and advice when experiencing the joys and fears of becoming a mother. Your work will be challenging, yet noble and inspiring.”
The Vice-Chancellor also acknowledged UCC's significant contribution to the health sector, stating that the university has trained many health professionals for Ghana and beyond. He highlighted that since 2019, over 10,000 midwives trained by UCC have been supporting Ghana's health system in various facilities across the country.
Furthermore, UCC offers cutting-edge and innovative programs in almost all health disciplines and runs several programs for health professionals and staff of training institutions.
Prof. Nyarko Boampong mentioned, “Through the Institutional Affiliation Office, the Department of Population and Health is running a Doctor of Philosophy (Population and Health) in three centres for staff of health training institutions in Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale.”
The Vice-Chancellor also revealed that UCC has engaged the Health Training Institutions Secretariat to extend its e-library services to all institutions under the secretariat. He stated, “Plans are far advanced for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the University and Ministry of Health for the implementation of this service.”
Prof. Boampong expressed his appreciation to all stakeholders, including the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyemang Manu, for their support to UCC, particularly to the College of Health and Allied Sciences.
He reassured that the university remains committed to working with all stakeholders in the health sector to train highly professional and motivated personnel who will provide quality healthcare to Ghana and other African countries.