?Dr. Dr. Mohammed M. Ibrahim, the Director of the College of Health, Yamfo (COHY) has encouraged health students to exhibit professionalism and be resolute in the execution of their duties particularly providing essential services to disaster victims. He said the devastating effects of the Akosombo and Kpong dam spillages, and the Apiate explosions had raised significant health concerns in certain parts of the country.? Dr. Ibrahim was speaking during the ninth matriculation ceremony of COHY at Yamfo and stressed?the need for health professionals to be ready at any moment to deal with both natural and human-caused disasters. 10,052 new students were admitted for the 2023/2024 academic year, adding up to the student total population of 2,931.? On the theme 'Health Emergencies: A Call to Action for the Health Trainee,' he emphasized the importance of prompt and effective responses to potential health threats and emergencies caused by various hazards. Dr. Ibrahim stressed the need for health workers to ado pt a strategic shift towards strengthening the five interconnected sub-systems that encompass health security, primary health care, and health promotion. ''These subsystems include collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to medical countermeasures, and emergency coordination'', he added.? He mentioned that the measures were incorporated in the training of health professionals at COHY to receive during their studies.? Addressing some of the challenges faced by the College, Dr Ibrahim highlighted more of the insufficient accommodation for the growing student population and the lack of lecture halls. In addition, he said the lack of transportation for students during clinical activities, the inadequate internal road network, and the subpar housing for both teaching and non-teaching staff.? He stressed the College's commitment to introducing more innovative and problem-based programmes soon, saying the programmes would be specifically tailored to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the country.? He advised the students to be a self-disciplined, committed, positive and strong characters to enable them to excel in every facet of their lives.? Reverend Fr Francis Ayana, the Chaplain and Counselor of the College stated that success was not a mere coincidence, but rather a result of intentional efforts and urged the matriculates to actively pursue success.? He emphasized the significance of character alongside education since there were potential catastrophic consequences of an education system that neglected the development of moral values.? He noted it to be crucial to have health professionals who possess not only intellectual knowledge but also a strong character to effectively tackle emerging challenges.? Source: Ghana News Agency