Medical and Dental Council to establish schools in Upper East and Berekum

The Ghana Medical and Dental Council (MDC) has announced advanced plans to establish two new medical schools in the Upper East Region and Berekum. These institutions are being developed to bridge the educational gap in the health sector and ensure more equitable access to medical training across the country. Dr. Divine N. Banyubala, the Registrar of the Council, confirmed that the initiative forms part of a strategic effort to decentralise medical education and improve the distribution of healthcare professionals across Ghana.

The development of these schools involves strategic partnerships with key stakeholders in the education and health sectors. In the Upper East Region, the Council is collaborating with the University of Applied Sciences in Navrongo and the Ghana Health Service to facilitate the training of new doctors. For the Berekum-based institution in the Bono Region, the Council has partnered with the Catholic Bishops Conference, leveraging existing religious infrastructure and institutional expertise to support the new academic programme.

Dr. Banyubala emphasized that these new schools are critical to addressing long-standing inequities within Ghana’s healthcare training system. By placing these institutions in regions outside the traditional academic hubs, the Council aims to encourage medical students to train and eventually serve in underserved areas. This move is expected to alleviate the pressure on existing medical schools and create more opportunities for Ghanaian students to pursue careers in medicine and dentistry without the necessity of relocating to major urban centres like Accra or Kumasi.

Looking ahead, the Ghana Medical and Dental Council is also exploring further expansion with plans for an additional medical school in the Savannah Region to continue this decentralisation drive. As these projects progress, the Council will maintain strict oversight to ensure that the new schools meet the rigorous standards required for medical certification. These developments mark a significant step toward strengthening the pipeline of qualified medical personnel to support the nation's healthcare delivery goals.