College of Pharmacy at the Florida
Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), USA has collaborated with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology (KNUST) to offer intenship training program for pharmacy student aimed at deepening bilateral relations of the two countries.
The initiative in its second edition will facilitate 26 pharmacy students and four professional workers to visit FAMU,Florida, USA for an enchange program this year.
The
exchange program which has been described as an ambitious agenda for
deepening bilateral relations between Ghana and Florida, USA, through
health education for university students, will be targeted at allowing
students and participants to acquaint themselves with current trends in
global health care systems.
It
will focus on disease epidemics, modern pharmaceutical practices,
cultural exchanges and environmental issues, and will be aimed at
improving the knowledge capacity of the students about health system to
enable them give back to their country upon successful completion of the
program.
The
lead initiator of the program, FAMU’s College of Pharmacy signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with the sister university in Ghana--KNUST
to explore exchange program in the area of pharmacy education for
students from both countries to study abroad, relating to academic and
research affiliations.
Dr.
Yussif Mijirah Dokurugu, DrPH, MPH, MA, Assistant Professor of
Epidemiology and Biostatistics and faculty Advisor of Student
Association of Global Health College
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at FAMU , who is currently in
Ghana on Medical leave initiated the program last year with 13 KNUST
students hopes to expand the program in collaboration with KNUST.
Explaining
about the initiative in Accra, confirmed that it is an ambitious agenda
being explored by the school, “one that the college is tackling through
an academic and cultural exchanges to broaden the horizon of the next
generation of health care practitioners.”
He
anticipates that the selected students from both sides will be offered
the chance to get a better understanding of the best practices and
systems that are in place in both nations, and allow them to bring back
new ideas.
Dr.
Dokurugu adding that “overseas study adventure provides students with
distinct benefits as they develop responsibility, initiative and
accountability.”
“I
want them to learn as much as possible to be able to contribute
positively to the health care delivery of every single person they may
come across in their future practices back at home.”
He
indicated that the engagement will explore various areas of
collaboration including students exchange programs and partnership with
other celebrated health experts in the United States of America,” he
added.
“As
the Institute of Public Health within the College continues to grow,
this internship program will provide an opportunity for FAMU to add to a
diverse workforce of individuals to be able to analyze public health
issues both at home and abroad,” said Dr. Dokurugu.
The
program, he said has been designed to give the students first-hand
experience in global health issues. It will also provide them with a
spring-board at competing for jobs in the field.
By:Georgina Ama Otoo
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