Ghana Medical Association

Last updated
Ghana Medical Association
Established4 January 1958;67 years ago (1958-01-04)
Founded at Accra
Merger ofGold Coast Medical Practitioners Union &
British Medical Association (Ghana branch)
Professional title
Medical association
Headquarters Accra, Ghana
Coordinates 5°32′20″N0°13′48″W / 5.539°N 0.230°W / 5.539; -0.230
Membership1700
Official language
English
President
Dr. (Med) Frank Serebour
Vice President
Prof.(Med) Ernest Yorke
General Secretary
Dr. (Dent) Richard Selormey
Treasurer
Dr. Elizabeth Esi Crentsil
Affiliations World Medical Association
Commonwealth Medical Association
Confederation of African Medical Associations and Societies
Website ghanamedassoc.org

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) represents physicians, surgeons and dentists working throughout Ghana. [1] [2] It was established in 1958 and is divided into ten divisions representing each region of Ghana as at the end of 2018. [3] [4]

Contents

History

The earliest medical organisation of medical staff was during the Gold Coast era when the Gold Coast Medical Practitioners Union was formed in 1933. This was founded by three doctors, Frederick Victor Nanka-Bruce who was the president and spokesman, C.E. Reindorf and W.A.C. Nanka-Bruce. J.E. Hutton Mills was the secretary. Following the establishment of an African government under colonial rule in 1951, a Ghana branch of the British Medical Association was formed in January 1953. [5] This also had Nanka-Bruce as its first president. Both associations were merged to form the Ghana Medical Association on 4 January 1958. It was inaugurated by Kwame Nkrumah at the Arden Hall of the Ambassador Hotel in Accra. [6] Charles Easmon was elected as the first president of the GMA. [7]

Affiliations

National Executive Council

This council meets every other month. It is made up of the following persons: [8]

Publications

Meetings and Conferences

66th Annual Conference 2024

In November 2024, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) held its 66th Annual General Conference in the Volta Region, focusing on improving internet access for healthcare through collaboration between the government and telecom companies. GMA President Dr. Frank Serebour highlighted telemedicine’s potential to enhance healthcare access and efficiency, especially in rural areas. [10]

The conference also noted barriers to telemedicine, such as limited internet infrastructure and regulatory concerns. Additionally, members discussed the benefits of artificial intelligence in diagnostics and recommended establishing standards to support its integration into healthcare. [11] [12]

Past presidents of the GMA

The president of the GMA since 2017 has been Frank Ankobea. There have been 22 past presidents as at 2018. [13]

See also

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Jacob Kenneth Kofi Kwakye-Maafo, also known as Nana Ohemeng Awere V, is a Ghanaian physician and a surgeon who specialises in Obstetrics and Gynecology and traditional ruler of Assin Nsuta and the chief executive of the West End Hospital, Kumasi. A past president of the Ghana Medical Association, he is an advocate of community health and has helped establish several health centres, rural hospitals and clinics in the Ashanti Region of Ghana notably the Ankaasi Faith Healing Methodist Hospital and the Lake Clinic at Amakom near Lake Bosomtwi. He was a member of the committee set up by the government of Ghana in 2003, tasked with the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana.

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References

  1. "Leadership". Ghana Medical Association. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
  2. "Ghana Medical Association: Advocating for healthcare professionals since 1958". GhanaRemembers. Retrieved 2025-01-17.
  3. "Ghana Medical Association". Postgraduate Medical Journal of Ghana. 5: 53. 2022. doi: 10.60014/pmjg.v5i1.101 .
  4. Sodzi-Tettey, Sodzi (2007-09-01). "GMA@50: Ghana's Health". Ghana Medical Journal. 41 (3): 146–150. ISSN   2616-163X. PMC   2279081 . PMID   18470335.
  5. "About GMA". Official website. Ghana Medical Association. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  6. Kesse (4 January 2022). "Ghana Medical Association(GMA) inaugurated Today in History -". Ghanaian Museum. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  7. "BRIEF HISTORY OF THE GHANA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION". Official website. Ghana Medical Association. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  8. "NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE". Official website. Ghana Medical Association. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  9. "Ghana Medical Journal". Official journal website. Ghana Medical Association. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  10. "Ghana Medical Association (GMA) 24th Annual Public Lecture event details". Continuous Education Services (CES). Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  11. GNA (2024-11-09). "GMA is not a subset of organised labour — Dr. Serebour". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  12. "GMA pushes for tech-driven healthcare amid independence from Organized Labour". 2024-11-09. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  13. "Past Presidents". Official website. Ghana Medical Association. Retrieved 13 June 2019.