Accra: The School of Nursing and Midwifery of the University of Ghana has commended the Social Investment Fund and the African Development Bank (AfDB) for supporting the expansion of its facilities. Professor Alfred Edwin Yawson, Provost of the College of Health Sciences, was reported to have described the support as timely, citing the long-standing infrastructural deficit confronting the School.
According to Ghana Web, speaking at a site handing-over ceremony for the construction of a two-storey facility in Accra, Prof Yawson expressed the hope that the project would enhance training and research and improve responses to current and emerging health challenges. The project, expected to be completed within 18 months and awarded to Messrs Marley Rossi, is to provide a 150-seater lecture hall, video conferencing and seminar rooms, an e-library, laboratories, offices, and washrooms.
Prof Yawson emphasized that the project aims to prepare students for the future and ensure research efforts translate into practical solutions for society. The facility is part of the Post-COVID-19 Skills Development and Productivity Enhancement Project (PSDPEP), a five-year initiative (2022-2027) being implemented by the Government of Ghana with funding from the AfDB, launched in June 2022. It is supported by a US$28.5 million grant.
The overall objective is to contribute to Ghana's sustainable post-COVID-19 recovery, particularly in the health sector, while supporting the restoration of livelihoods, incomes, and employment opportunities, as well as private sector development. Specifically, it aims to promote health-related and technical entrepreneurial skills development in higher education to enhance healthcare delivery and encourage job creation among youth and women.
The initiative is structured around three main components: skills development in higher education to strengthen the health sector; rebuilding youth and women's livelihoods through entrepreneurship and employment creation; and project management. Prof Yawson reaffirmed the authorities' commitment to collaborate with stakeholders for the accelerated development of the School, noting the university's pioneering role in offering a doctorate programme in nursing.
Abass Adams Nurudeen, Chief Executive Officer of the Social Investment Fund and Project Coordinator, explained that the facility fell under Component One of the PSDPEP, focusing on skills development in higher education to strengthen the health sector. He urged the contractor to complete the project on schedule and assured continued support for Ghanaian institutions to build capacity for effective service delivery.