Odumase Krobo: Dr Winfred Korletey Baah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA), has initiated steps for the Odumase-Krobo Nursing and Midwifery Training College to be accredited to start offering diploma programmes in nursing, midwifery, and public health. Dr Baah, who is also a consultant physician, appealed for the fast-tracking of the accreditation process to enable it to fulfil its mandate and the mission for its establishment.

According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Baah met with Dr Awoonor Williams, Technical Adviser for the Minister of Health, and the Head of the Health Training Institutions at the Ministry of Health (MoH). During the meeting, Dr Baah noted that most nursing and midwifery training colleges were being accredited to run degree programmes, and emphasized that the Odumase Krobo Nursing and Midwifery College should not continue to focus solely on training and awarding certificates in nursing assistant (preventive) programmes.

Established in 2015, the college has only been running a two-year health care/nursing assistants (preventive) programme. Dr Baah highlighted that the college was established to train general nurses, midwives, and public health nurses. However, due to delays in securing the necessary accreditation, the college has been operating below its capacity and mandate. This situation has led to ongoing efforts for an immediate accreditation to commence diploma programmes, aligning with the vision that fueled its establishment.

Dr Baah expressed optimism that with the ongoing efforts and collaboration between the Ministry of Health, HeFRA, and other relevant institutions, the accreditation processes would be expedited. He anticipates that the college will be able to commence diploma programmes in general nursing, midwifery, and public health this year. “The diploma programmes will commence this year, hopefully, given the assurances I have received from the ministry,” Dr Baah stated.

The college, which operated in temporary facilities for five years at Odumase, relocated to its current permanent site south of the Odumase township in 2020. It presently boasts a population of nearly 400 students made up of first- and second-year students reading the health care/nursing assistants (preventive) programme.