46 graduate with Masters in Public Health at Ensign College

Ensign College of Public health, located at Kpong in the Eastern region and affiliated to the Kwame Nkrumah Universitg of Science and Technology, Kumasi and the University of Utah in the USA, has organised its second congregation for the conferment of Masters of Public Health (MPH) degree on 46 Graduates of the school.

The school which started its formal operations three years ago has so far trained and mentored 69 Graduates in public health education.

The first congregation last year saw 23 Graduates conferred with MPH whilst the second congregation also saw 46 graduates walk out of the institution with same Masters in Public health degree.

Speaking at the ceremony, the President of the College, Professor Stephen Alder noted that public health is an academic and professional field dedicated to identifying challenges to the health of populations followed by the development and implementation of solutions to the identified challenges.

He said “Ensign College of Public health is committed to improving the health of populations. Our efforts are only as good as the impact they make.

“He said the vision of Ensign College is to be distinguished, standard-bearing institution for developing public health leaders who will engage communities in promoting a healthy lifestyles in Ghana and Africa at large. The founder and board chair person of the college, Dr. Mrs Lynette Gay however noted that the focus of the college is to promote community health and prevent diseases through equitable partnerships.”

“Strengthening families and communities strengthens countries and that’s what we seek to achieve.”

She called on prospective graduates to get out of their confort zones and take up a new challenge in getting a career in public health to impact on society.

The Minister for education Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, in a speech read on his behalf pointed out that both developed and developing countries are increasingly recognizing that health systems must be based on effective foundation of affordable, sustainable and effective public health.

He urged the new graduates to engage their community members as they go out to serve as public health practitioners.

“The health challenges facing communities are varied and in most cases, it is not one jacket fits all solution that will work. Engage them, don’t go into communities with an obvious answer to some of the most visible problems ofnthe community. ”

The Paramount Chief of the Manya Krobo, Nene Sakite II bemoaned the rise in illiterate non performing graduates in the developing world who only strife to guarantee their names on monthly pay rolls of their companies.

He advised the graduates to step out and make a difference, influence change and thereby putting their knowledge to work to save the community in which they would find themselves and the nation at large.

“In this age of science and technology the world is at war with several diseases which require solution so a master’s graduate in public health must be equipped with the riffle and grenade to combact those diseases. I count on you for solutions,” he charged the graduates.

The overall best graduating student of the 2017 year group went to Ofori Sylvia Kesewa and the best project work went to Amankwah Josephine while the community service award went to Asiemoah Kwame Junior.

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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana