The Ghana Medical and Dental Council of Ghana (MDC) has formalized its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ghana Physician and Surgeons Foundation of North America (GPSF).
The memorandum was signed on April 23, 2022, at the 19th Annual GPSF Conference that was held in Washington DC. It was signed by the Registrar of the MDC, Dr. Divine Ndonbi Bayubala and the President of the GPSF, Dr. Bertha Serwa Ayi.
According to the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation, Dr. Pearl Quartey-Kumapley, M.D. MPH, the MOU “brings to fruition many years of discussions between previous GPSF executives and the MDC regarding the bottleneck created by the credentialing and licensing process for United States-based Ghanaian physicians as well as other physicians with a vested interest in the post-graduate medical education in Ghana.”
The MOU, as she added in the statement released on April 25, 2022, will slash the cost by some 50% and expedite the process.
Also, there would be a waiver of examination in certain special situations for select US-based physicians.
“This expedited process will be provided through membership with GPSF. In addition, it will help address GPSF’s founding mandate to provide educational and faculty support to the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons.”
Present at the signing were the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, and the Ranking Member, Mr. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
Dr. Afriyie gave his support for the MOU and emphasized the importance of having all stakeholders at the table in such important decisions. Dr. Afriyie endorsed the plan and vouched to ensure its smooth implementation.
The rector of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Richard Adanu was also present for the signing and emphasized this key step in improving access for US-based physicians to fill key roles in training and education at the college.
The President of GPSF thanked the MDC and the College for making this long-term goal a reality.
Meanwhile, the outgoing President of GPSF, Dr. Afua Nyanin among others was present at the conference.
