"Doctors going outside are unpatriotic"

Asokore (Ashanti Region) - Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, has described as unpatriotic the behaviour of medical students who failed to decipher the health concerns of poor Ghanaians, by leaving the country to seek greener pastures. He said the country expected them to reciprocate the huge expenditure on their education by serving their own people, but expressed regret that this was not happening since most of them simply left after completing their courses. This was contained in a speech read for him on Friday, at the launch of the annual Health Week of the Medical Students Association of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), at Asokore in the Sekyere East District of Ashanti. This year's celebration had as its theme: "Maternal and Child Mortality, Causes, Effects and Prevention." The Minister said the high rate of brain drain the country was experiencing was a barrier to socio-economic development. Dr Afriyie, however, gave the assurance that his ministry was leaving no stone unturned to provide medical doctors with the conducive atmosphere, which will not only make them comfortable but also encourage them to stay home and work. He commended the medical students for their involvement in the health education campaign and urged them to continue with the same spirit even after graduation and volunteer to work in the rural areas to help improve public health delivery. Professor Tsiri Agbenyega, Dean of the SMS, lauded the students for their choice of theme and said their activities would help in reducing maternal and child mortality. Mr Isaiah Opoku Boateng, Sekyere East District Chief Executive, expressed concern about the behaviour of some pregnant mothers who refused to seek health care, saying, it was an extremely worrying situation since it contributed towards maternal and child mortality. He advised pregnant mothers to turn a new leaf and seek medical care since their refusal could cause them harm.