Continuing Medical Education and Healthcare Maintenance: Challenges in Implementation in Developing Countries UASOM Division of CME Designated as a Sponsor GROWING TOWARDS OUR MISSION Dear Members, Colleagues and Guests, Ghana. We are also actively engaged in collaborative work with teams in Ghana in building capacity for sustainable It is my utmost honor to welcome you to the 9th Annual health care delivery programs in several teaching and Healthcare Summit of the Ghana Physicians and Surgeons regional hospitals. Recently some of our members have Foundation. It is always exciting to come together as a been involved in deliberations geared toward the group to share ideas and discuss ways of giving back to our development of new fellowship programs such as critical mother nation, Ghana. The 8th Annual Summit last year care medicine and emergency medicine. We have served, not only the above purposes, but also provided an hosted and provided mentorship for Ghanaian graduate occasion for reflection and introspection. We examined our and postgraduate medical students undertaking elective activities, celebrated our successes and took a critical look clerkships here in the United States. These collaborative at our shortcomings. efforts must be nurtured so they can grow into a larger Several important facts became more apparent: We network capable of creating strong academic ties. For have a hefty brainpower of health care professionals, we this reason, in attendance at this year’s conference is a are involved in important educational, patient care and strong delegation from Ghana. This group includes high- research projects in Ghana and a large majority of us level officials from the Ghana College of Physicians and were looking for further opportunities to contribute to these Surgeons, Ghana Medical Schools, Ministry of Health, projects. However, we lacked coordination, collaboration Ghana Medical and Dental Council and the Ghana Health and information sharing; the three key elements needed Service. In demonstration of his support of our efforts, His for synergistic impact of our activities particularly on Excellency Ambassador Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Ghana’s postgraduate medical education and health care delivery Ambassador to the United States is the guest of honor of this in Ghana. We fell short in our efforts to draw younger year’s conference. health care professionals to the Foundation and failed to As we grow in size and our activities become more complex emphasize the needs of this important subgroup. These our challenges have become more daunting. We currently observations served as the basis of the theme for this year’s have well over 400 members listed in our database, several conference and also mapped out the path of my tenure as collaborators and three active projects. Over the years president of this Foundation. we have had no administrative support, our Before enumerating the accomplishments and financial resources have been very limited and challenges of our term in office, I would like to we depend entirely on the voluntary efforts of recognize the successes our predecessors. The the executive. These limitations mitigate growth structure, function, strength and integrity of the and success. In order to accomplish our mission Ghana Physicians and Surgeons Foundation two absolutes must be met. First, dues must be rest on the shoulders of our founding members. paid; second, more dedicated volunteerism They have created the backbone for a forward- from our members. We are actively recruiting thinking and mission-driven organization. With younger, energetic members with fresh ideas their relentless dedication we have continued to and our executive has been working tirelessly flourish. I take this opportunity to acknowledge to set up a resilient administrative framework our past presidents, Drs. Oheneba Boakye- to run the Foundation. Nothing succeeds for Adjei (Professor of orthopedic surgery and long without considerable effort and constant Chief of Scoliosis Service, New York-Presbyterian vigilance. I therefore enjoin your diligent Hospital, Cornell University), Kwaku Ohene- commitment to the Foundation. We need your Frempong (Professor of Pediatrics and Director ideas and your time all year round and we need of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, dues to be paid in time. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University This year’s conference theme, Continuing Medical of Pennsylvania), Alex Twum Boafo (Associate Professor Education and Healthcare Maintenance: Challenges in of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Albert Einstein University, NY), implementation in Developing Countries, represents our Kwasi Debra (Cosmetic Surgeon and CEO, Aesthetic and continued commitment to partnership with our counterparts Laser Vein Center, Bowie, MD), Thadeus Ulzen (Professor and in Ghana. It brings together a diverse group of experts in Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Interim Dean, School the field of medicine, education, health care policy and of Community Health Sciences, University of Alabama), economics. We expect that our deliberations will not only Augustine Mireku Boateng (Former Professor of Urology, enhance our knowledge but also lead to development of Howard University, MD) and Yosef Kwamie (Consultant a working document that will impact on health policy and Psychiatrist, Lakeridge Health, Ontario, Canada). These health care education in Ghana. gentlemen did not only commit to their terms of office; they have continued to work actively with the current executive I would be remiss if I did not include my colleagues on in the administration of the Foundation. the executive, Drs. Moses Aboagye-Kumi, President-Elect, James Aikins, Vice President, Elijah Paintsil, Secretary and Members are well aware of the primary mission of this Nii Tetteh, Treasurer, in the group of individuals who have Foundation: to support postgraduate medical education worked diligently to make our successes possible. I urge you in Ghana through multidisciplinary programs. To fulfill this all to redouble your efforts to fulfill our vision of becoming a mission we continue to work with our counterparts in Ghana Foundation of international repute. on several projects including an Annual Continuing Medical Education (CME), serve as external faculty and external Thank you for joining us again this year and it is my hope examiners in the Ghana Medical Schools and collaborate that this conference will be a delightful experience for all. in basic science and clinical research projects based in Dr. George Ofori-Amanfo FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2011 DATE AND TIME ITEM SPEAKER 2:30 - 3:40 pm Registration 3:40 - 3:50 pm Opening Remarks Dr. George Ofori-Amanfo President, GPSF CME Moderator Dr. Moses Aboagye-Kumi, President Elect, GPSF 3:50 - 4:05 pm Relationship between Maternal Dr. Alex Kojo Anderson Dept. characteristics, Diabetes, and of Foods & Nutrition University of Hypertension in resource poor Georgia Athens communities in Ghana Time to and predictors of CD4+ Ms. Meghan Prin 4:05 - 4:20 pm T-Lymphocytes recovery in Medical Student, HIV-infected children initiating UMDNJ-Robertwood Johnson antiretroviral therapy in Ghana Medical School New Brunswick, NJ 4:20 - 4:35 pm Physician’s role in oral health Dr. Dan Otchere Dental Consultant Region of Peel Health Dept. Ontario CA 4:35 - 4:50 pm Panel Discussion Dr. Anderson, Ms. Prin & Dr. Otchere 4:50 - 5:05 pm BREAK Guidelines for essential trauma Dr. Anthony Forestine, care and its application in Ghana Assist. Professor of Emergency 5:05 - 5:35pm Medicine , Seton Hall Univ. Sch. of Health & Medical Science NJ 5:35 - 6:05pm Is Intravascular Hemolysis a Silent Dr. Solomon Ofori-Acquah killer in tropical Africa? Assist. Professor Pediatrics Emory Univ. Sch. Of Med 6:05 - 6:35pm 6:35 - 7:20pm Junior Physicians/Trainees: Dr. Francisca Abanyie, Career Navigation Challenges Fellow, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Emory Univ. Sch.of Med 6:35 - 7:30pm Business Meeting Dr. George Ofori-Amanfo, President, GPSF 8:00 - 12:00am RECEPTION Shout Restaurant 1197 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011 DATE AND TIME ITEM SPEAKER Registration and Breakfast 7:15 - 7:50 am Welcome Address Dr. George Ofori-Amanfo, 7:50 - 8:05 am President, GPSF CME Moderator Dr. James Aikins Vice President, GPSF Healthcare Delivery in Ghana H.E. Daniel Ohene Agyekum 8:05 - 8:35 am Ghana’s Ambassador to US Dr. Ofori-Adjei, Continuing Medical Education and 8:35 - 9:05 am Rector Ghana College of Use of Medicines : Ghana Physicians and Surgeons 9:05 - 9:35 am Evolution of Medical Student Prof. T. Agbenyega, Education in Ghana: Focus on Former Dean of School of Medical Healthcare Maintenance Science, Kumasi 9:35 - 10:05 am Strengthening Health Systems in Dr. Frank Nyonator, Director Policy Ghana to achieve the MDG’s: Planning, monitoring & evaluations The Role of Diaspora Ghana Health Service 10:05 - 10:20 am BREAK 10:20 - 10:50am The Control of Medical & Dental Dr. Kofi Osae Adadey Practice in Ghana Chair, Ghana Medical & Dental Council 10:50 - 12:00 Noon Open Forum: -Issues involved in Healthcare Moderator delivery in Ghana Dr. Moses Aboagye-Kumi, -Engaging the College, President Elect, Medical & Dental Council and GPSF Ghana Health Service 12:00 - 1:15 pm LUNCH CME Moderator Dr. Elijah Paintsil Secretary GPSF 1:15 - 1:45 pm Emergency Medicine Education Dr. Conrad Buckle and Practice in Developing Vice President Ghana Doctors & Countries Dentists Assoc. UK 1:45 - 2:15 pm Cervical Cancer Screening in Dr. James Aikins, Developing Countries: Vice President ,GPSF The Ghana Experience SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011 CONT... DATE AND TIME ITEM SPEAKER Dr. Ernest Asamoah, Diabesity in Developing Countries: Assistant Professor of Medicine, 2:15 - 2:45 pm Are we up to the challenge? Indiana University School of Medicine Medical Errors: Malpractice or Dr. George Ofori-Amanfo 2:45 - 3:15 pm Negligence President, GPSF Panel Discussion Drs. Buckle, Aikins, Asamoah 3:15 - 3:30 pm And Ofori-Amanfo BREAK 3:30 - 3:45 pm The Ghana-Yale Partnership Dr. Michael Cappello in Global Infectious Diseases Prof. Pediatrics, Microbial 3:45 - 4:15 pm Research: a model for bidirectional Pathogeneses & Public Health, capacity building Yale School of Medicine Dr.