Prof. Samuel A. Debrah, FGA, President of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, has called for postgraduate medical education to be recognized as a strategic national investment. Delivering his Inaugural Lecture in the Sciences of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) on Thursday, 18 June 2026, he said strengthening specialist medical training is critical to improving healthcare delivery and advancing Ghana’s long-term development.
Speaking on the theme, “Postgraduate Medical Education and Training in Ghana: Now and the Future,” Prof. Debrah argued that sustained investment in specialist medical education is essential for improving health outcomes, enhancing economic productivity, promoting social equity, strengthening national resilience and achieving sustainable development. He described the health workforce as the backbone of every effective healthcare system.
Prof. Debrah noted that although Ghana has made significant progress in specialist medical training over the past two decades, the country continues to face a considerable shortage of specialists relative to its growing healthcare needs. He identified inadequate specialist numbers, financing constraints, workforce retention and distribution challenges, governance issues and rapid technological change as key obstacles confronting postgraduate medical education.
To address these challenges, he advocated the expansion of regional training centres to increase specialist production and improve the equitable distribution of healthcare professionals across the country. He also proposed the establishment of a National Health Workforce Observatory to support evidence based workforce planning and informed policy development.
Prof. Debrah further called for sustainable and diversified financing for postgraduate medical education through a blended funding model involving government support, health insurance contributions, employer sponsored training, research grants, endowments, philanthropy and strategic private sector investment to ensure the long term sustainability of specialist training.
Highlighting the growing role of technology in healthcare, he observed that future specialists must be equipped with competencies in digital health, data science, innovation management and the ethical application of artificial intelligence. He urged the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to position itself as a leader in shaping the responsible adoption of emerging technologies across African healthcare systems.
Tracing the evolution of postgraduate medical education globally and within West Africa, Prof. Debrah described the establishment of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2003 as a landmark in Ghana’s journey towards self reliance in specialist medical training. He explained that the College was established to address the country’s shortage of specialists, their uneven geographical distribution and the limited opportunities for advanced specialist training within Ghana.
Reflecting on the College’s achievements, he noted that it has significantly increased the number of specialist physicians and surgeons trained locally, improved retention rates and expanded specialist training opportunities nationwide. He added that doctors who complete specialist training in Ghana are more likely to remain in the country and contribute to strengthening the national health system.
Concluding the lecture, Prof. Debrah reiterated that investing in people remains the most valuable investment any nation can make. He stressed that the future of Ghana’s healthcare system will depend on decisions taken today to strengthen specialist training, expand access to quality healthcare and build a resilient health workforce capable of meeting future national needs.
In her closing remarks, Emerita Prof. Isabella Akyinbah Quakyi, FGA, President of the Academy and Chairperson for the lecture, reaffirmed the importance of investing in postgraduate medical education, expanding regional specialist training and ensuring sustainable financing for healthcare workforce development. She echoed Prof. Debrah’s central message that investment in specialist medical training is ultimately an investment in national development, improved health outcomes and the future well being of Ghanaians.
The lecture attracted a distinguished audience comprising Past Presidents and Fellows of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, policymakers, healthcare stakeholders, members of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, representatives of Health Concern Ghana, students from Accra Academy and Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School, invited guests and members of the general public.
The Inaugural Lecture Series is one of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences’ flagship academic programmes, providing a platform for Fellows to share research, stimulate national discourse and contribute to policy development on issues of national importance.
