COCONUT GROVE BEACH RESORT

by April Shacklock.

Coconut Grove Beach Resort in Elmina is the perfect place for western travellers or volunteers who are looking to escape the hustle of Ghana for a while and surround themselves in luxury.

Whilst Ghana attracts thousands of volunteers and travellers every year, they can become overwhelmed and tired of the crazy traffic, bustling markets, crowded tro-tros and spicy food.  Coconut Grove Beach Resort which opened in December 1994, is the perfect place to get away from all of this for a while and satisfy some of your western urges.

Since the resort opened eighteen years ago they have strived to exceed their fantastic reputation to ensure no visitor leaves disappointed. The hotel is rated 3 star, but after travelling around Ghana it will certainly seem like 5 star! In fact the guide books say you won’t even recognise you are still in Ghana! Their motto is, ‘memories worth repeating’, and I can assure you that it is true.

The resort covers 65 acres, most of which is beautifully kept tropical gardens. There is also a private beach which is clean and safe, allowing guests to relax without being hassled. Ghana has a beautiful coast line and this really is a place to see it at its best. Wherever you are in Coconut Grove Beach Resort you can always hear the soothing sound of the waves. For those who do not want to swim in the sea, there is a lovely fresh water swimming pool situated close to the shore which is surrounded by comfortable sun loungers so you can make the most of the African sun in comfort. There isn’t even any need to move off your sun lounger if you would like a drink as the waiter will bring it to you!

If you are on a budget, the swimming pool and beach facilities can be used just for the day for a fee. However, if you can, I recommend you stay in one of their rooms for the night. All rooms come with air conditioning, a mini bar, satellite television, wifi and hot and cold water. It is the simple facility of a hot shower that gets many western travellers excited, as cold showers are one of the hardest things to get used to when they arrive in Ghana.

The Ocean View restaurant is proud to serve the best fresh seafood in the region as well as a range of other local and continental options, so travellers can get a taste of a dish from back home. My recommended dish, particularly for English people, is the grouper fish and chips, it is absolutely divine! The bar is equally as diversely equipped with many imported brands such as Smirnoff Ice for very reasonable prices, as well as the favourite local beers. A third reason that the Ocean View restaurant is a favourite with tourists is its efficient service. Many Westerners find the pace of Ghanaian restaurants very slow compared to their country, however the service in the Ocean View restaurant is perfect!

 

Ghanaian breakfast food tends not to be very popular with a lot of western travellers, so the breakfast at Coconut Grove Beach Resort is another aspect which will help their western guests feel at home again and give them a break from koko. There are many choices for breakfast including; freshly chopped pineapple and watermelon, delicious made to order omelettes, a choice of warm pastries, bread, cereal and fresh juices. You will feel like you’re in an all-inclusive hotel in Spain rather than Ghana!

 

One thing that is still very Ghanaian about Coconut Grove Beach Resort is the friendliness of the staff, this is something that all tourists miss when they leave Ghana. Even the manager is often walking around the grounds checking his guests are comfortable.

Coconut Grove Beach Resort has such a strong reputation for its quality of service that has attracted guests such as the Crown Prince of Holland, the Secretary General of the U.N., Will Smith, and ministers of states from the neighbouring countries! If it’s good enough for them, it’s definitely good for us!

Western travellers often find that they cannot do any exercise when they’re in Ghana as there are very few facilities. Coconut Grove Beach Resort has recognised this and provides guests with the availability of two tennis courts, a basketball court, a gym, an 18 hole recreational golf course which is meticulously tended to, and horse riding. The horse riding in particular is a very rare opportunity in Ghana and is a favourite with Westerners. They have eight tamed horses and it is a great opportunity to forget the stresses of volunteering or travelling with a trot along the beach.   

Other outdoor activities which are less strenuous include bird watching and seeing the various animals which they keep in the grounds including; a crocodile pond in the middle of the golf course, rabbits and chickens.

 

The town centre of Elmina is just a short taxi journey away which has a variety of activities for tourists, that is if you can peel yourself off your sun lounger at Coconut Grove! The main attraction is the Elmina Castle which is the oldest European building south of the Sahara. The castle has a very interesting history and is a worthwhile visit out.

 

So if you’ve been volunteering or travelling around Ghana and you are in need of some home comforts and simple luxuries then make Coconut Grove Beach Resort in Elmina your next stop. We promise you will not see a tro-tro, hear any beeping horns or have to eat banku during your stay. Coconut Grove Beach Resort allows you to enjoy Ghana in a western style!

VOLUNTEER LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AFTER TRAFFIC COLLISION

by April Shacklock

On 26^th August 2012 at around 4:00pm, a Ford bus was hit by an oncoming car on the highway between Accra and Cape Coast, amongst the passengers was Rhys Durham, a volunteer at Coastal TV.

The bus had been travelling for about an hour when a hatchback swerved onto the wrong side of the road in an attempt to overtake the vehicle in front, however travelling on the other side of the road was the Ford bus which runs between Accra and Cape Coast. The driver of the car did not then have enough space to retreat behind the vehicle again. The bus attempted to swerve to avoid a collision, however the car impacted the bus at the driver’s door. The bus then rolled several times before landing on its side facing the wrong way. The exact number of fatalities is still uncertain however it is thought that three were pronounced dead on the scene, including the driver of the bus and two people in the car. Miraculously, everyone else in the bus was able to evacuate safely and only a few had minor injuries.

Rhys Durham, age 29, was situated in the back of the bus, he had been asleep prior to the collision and only woke when he heard the other passengers on the bus shouting when they spotted the car on the other side of the road beginning to move out. The next thing he felt was the impact of the car hitting the bus followed by the bus rolling onto the verge, he said: ‘I felt it roll once, and then it kept on going, I just kept thinking as long as we don’t hit anything or nothing hits us then we will be ok. We seemed to be rolling for ages but in reality it must have only been about three seconds. Everyone managed to stay in their seat more or less, which is amazing because no one was wearing a seat belt.’  It is not surprising that no one was wearing a seat belt, as Central Press reported in June 2012 that 90% of drivers do not wear seat belts. If the driver of the bus had been wearing a seat belt then maybe the consequences of the crash would not have been fatal for him.

 

Rhys said he was amazed at how calm everyone else was. People were helped out of the vehicles quickly and any injured were put into other cars and taken to the hospital. This is a necessary procedure in Cape Coast as there is only one ambulance to service the whole area. The bodies of the fatalities were simply left at the side of the road until the situation had been cleared. The calmness of the passengers is clearly a result of the fact that there are so many road traffic incidents in Ghana, it is a daily occurrence. The Ghana National Road Safety Commission statistics show that between 2002 and 2008, 13,166 people were killed in road accidents. Of that figure, 42% were pedestrians, 23% were passengers in buses, 12% were car occupants, while the remaining 23% consisted of riders and passengers of bicycles, motorcycles, and occupants of heavy goods vehicles and pickups. In 2011 the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, reported that 2,330 Ghanaians died in road accidents with 13,572 road accidents being reported. And is not just human lives that are lost to road accidents, an average of 1.6% of Ghana’s GDP is lost every year to road accidents.

The passengers from the Ford bus were quickly ushered onto another tro-tro which would continue them on their journey to Cape Coast. Rhys said he saw many more risky overtaking maneuvers which demonstrates how constant the level of dangerous driving is in Ghana. Rhys also said he does not want to travel on anything other than a coach for the rest of his stay in Ghana as he does not feel safe in anything smaller.

 

There is a major issue to be addressed on the roads of Ghana. There is not enough monitoring of the standard of driving which means motorists do not follow the rules of the road, although this means too many people are paying for other drivers’ reckless mistakes with their life. There are many other factors contributing to the number of injuries and fatalities on the roads including: poor road surfaces, very few road signs, and the etiquette of public transport in Ghana, whereby passengers are discouraged from wearing seatbelts to allow other passengers in and out the vehicle quickly.

 

The number of road traffic accidents is only set to rise as car ownership in Ghana is soaring. The government needs to take serious action to ensure the number of accidents on the road decreases rather than escalates with the number of cars on the road. A simple measure which could be taken is to put more warning signs on the roads. Currently road signs are few and far between so many drivers underestimate the of risk overtaking on corners and summits as they have not been informed or warned about the road conditions.

 

Unfortunately for Rhys, this has not been his first disaster since he arrived in Ghana. During his first few days here he was playing a friendly game of rugby on the beach when he landed badly and cracked a rib! You can read all about Rhys’ dramatic experiences in his blog: http://rhysdurham.wordpress.com.

MEET THE VOLUNTEERS

Cape Coast receives hundreds of volunteers a year, mainly from the organisations Projects Abroad and Global Volunteer Projects. Here are some of the volunteers that have been lending a helping hand to Cape Coast in August 2012.

April Shacklock, Age 20
9^th August – 6th^th September
Nationality: British
Placement: Journalism at Central Press
What has been the best thing about your placement? Every day is so different, one day I was doing research about wills in the small villages of Cape Coast, the next I was following the President on his tour of the central region.
Where have you travelled to In Ghana so far? Kakum National Park, Hans Cottage, Coconut Grove Beach Resort, Green Turtle Lodge, Volta region.
What has been your favourite trip? My trip to the Volta region was amazing. I fell in love with the monkeys at Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary.  
What has been your most memorable moment in Ghana? Experiencing the crowd’s reaction during President Mahama’s speeches during his tour.

Bri Creelman, Age 19

1st August – 1st September

Nationality: Canadian 

Placement: Medical placement at Central Regional Hospital
What has been the best thing about your placement? All the medical information that I am learning! I keep a notebook on me at the hospital to record terms I do not understand or wish to know more about and research them when I get home. Also the hands on experience has been amazing. Most of what I get to see and do would not be possible at home, for example getting to watch a caesarean section.
What has been the hardest thing about your placement? Seeing so many preventable cases escalate into medical emergencies or even death due to lack of supplies and education among patients.
Where have you travelled to In Ghana so far? Mole National Park, Elmina Castle, Kakum National Park, Wli Falls.
What is your favourite thing about Cape Coast? The beautiful ocean.
What is your favourite Ghanaian food? Plantain, egg stew and beans stew. I love it all actually!

Emma Sedgwick, age 20

1^st July – 29^th August

Nationality: British

Placement: New Life Orphanage
What has been the best thing about your placement? The best thing about my placement is by far the children. The overall attitude of them is an eagerness to learn and they are so open and friendly!
What has been the hardest thing about your placement? The hardest thing about my placement has probably been how short it is. When you are volunteering it is frustrating that you feel there may be a lack of continuity and you can’t always finish what you started.
Where have you travelled to in Ghana? I have travelled to Kumasi, Green Turtle Lodge, Volta Region and Kakum National Park.

What has been your worst trip? Going to Kumasi as it took hours longer to get there than we expected and then I was threatened and followed through the market.

What is your favourite Ghanaian food? Redred.

What have you found most difficult about living in Ghana? Being treated differently because I’m white.

 

Chandni Patel, Age 21

July 11^th – August 26^th

Nationality: Canadian

Placement: Medical at Central Regional Hospital / New Life Orphanage

What has been the best thing about your placements? At the hospital it was definitely getting to look after the babies in the Intensive Care Unit. The best thing at the orphanage is when all the children learn your name and then every time they see you coming they shout it.

What has been the hardest thing about your placement? The hardest thing that has happened at the hospital was also when I was in the Intensive Care Unit and two babies who had been delivered with vacuum assistance kept having seizures.

Where have you travelled to in Ghana? Mole National Park, Volta Region, Kakum National Park, Nzulezo Stilt Village.

What was the best trip you have been on in Ghana? My trip to the Volta was definitely my favourite. It was so beautiful there, we were pleased we made the effort to climb to the top of Wli falls. It felt amazing standing under the waterfall.

Where is the best place to have dinner in Cape Coast? It’s a tie between Oasis and Sizzler, I love them both.

What has been the most memorable experience for you in Ghana? Getting to do examinations on the patients in the Breast & Thyroid clinic, experience like that is so valuable.

 

Debbie Shacklock, Age 49

9^th August – 6th^th September

Nationality: British

Placement: New Life Orphanage

What has been the best thing about your placement? Taking the children swimming to Hans Cottage, they were so happy and grateful to be taken out.

Where have you travelled to In Ghana so far? Kakum National Park, Hans Cottage, Coconut Grove Beach Resort in Elmina and Green Turtle Lodge.

What is your favourite thing about Ghana? The friendly people, they have made me feel very welcome in Ghana.

What is your least favourite thing about Ghana? Tro-tros!

What is your favourite Ghanaian food? Egg stew and fried plantain. I’m definitely going to start cooking plantain when I get home!

Anything else to say about your experience in Ghana? It has been a fantastic life experience , especially for someone of my age. I’m glad I took the time away from my job in England to come here and experience a different culture and help the children.

 

ORPHANS LIVE LIKE VOLUNTEERS FOR A DAY

by April Shacklock

Four children from the New Life orphanage were taken out by volunteers on Wednesday 22^nd August to see how they live in Ghana.

Three Danish volunteers, Rie Jakobsen, Sebastian Christensen and Lene Sylvestersen, who are volunteerings at the New Life Orphanage in Cape Coast for six months, wanted to show the children what it is like for volunteers when they come to stay in Ghana. It was also a rare opportunity for the children to leave the orphanage and experience the outside world. The volunteers are taking four children each week on this exciting trip, this week was their first week and the lucky children were Nelson Franks, Shalley Egyir, Emanuella Arthur, age 11 and Elizabeth Eghan, age 11.

When the volunteers arrived at the orphanage to pick the children up they were all wearing their finest clothes and shoes, although it was heavily raining and cold. The children say they always dress this way when they go out because they want to set a good example for the orphanage. The volunteers began the day by taking the orphans to their house in Cape Coast. The volunteers said the children were ‘unusually quiet’ and ‘observed everything with big eyes’. Although the orphanage is very well equipped in some ways, for example they have a computer room with twelve computers in it, other areas such as their outdoor kitchen, which consists mainly of a man-made fire and cauldron, differs greatly from the kitchen in the volunteers’ house which has a gas stove and a fridge. Emanuella said: ‘the house was very nice. I would like to live there!’

The volunteers then took them to buy snacks at a stall in Kotokuraba. Although Kotokuraba is only a five minute car journey away from the orphanage, Elizabeth had never been there. The volunteers said they noticed very different behaviour in the children whilst they were in the busy town. Elizabeth was very startled by all traffic and the beeping car horns. Although the children do sometimes have to walk along the road where they live to do errands, it is a rural area therefore it is a lot quieter and the roads are larger. Their reaction was not so dissimilar to that of a volunteer however, as where the volunteers come from, the roads are lined with pavements for people to walk on and beeping horns is very rare.

The children were then treated to lunch at Coast to Coast, a restaurant near Cape Coast Castle. Emanuella had been to a restaurant before but none of the others had, so it was a very special experience for them. The volunteers said the children were very reserved in the restaurant, making sure they were on their best behaviour and acting formally. Three of the children ordered fried rice and chicken, choosing to stick to food which they are familiar with. Shalley however, was very daring and ordered fries with a chicken and cheese sandwich. She had never tried any of these things before and unfortunately it was too western for her as she did not enjoy it at all. In fact, none of the children like the French fries! Nelson also decided he would like to try something different and ordered a banana milkshake, he found it very strange and could not drink it all. The children were very pleased to be able to try things that the volunteers like despite not liking them very much themselves.

After lunch they played some board games in the restaurant. Ludo is a favourite board game amongst the children at the orphanage, so they played that to make the children feel a little more at home.

The children then wanted to go back to the volunteers’ house to play more games. They put the Disney film, Up, on for the children but Rie said: ‘it did not capture their attention, they wanted to play hide and seek instead. I expected the children to love the film as all the children back home like watching films such as Up.’ Nelson said his favourite part of the day was playing games at the volunteers’ house.

In the afternoon the volunteers suggested that the children eat the snacks they had bought in the morning, however the children wanted to save them and take them back home. Other volunteers at the orphanage have also noticed them do this when they buy them something unusual. It seems the children like to take it back to the orphanage and savour what they have got at a time when they feel they will enjoy it the most.  

Shalley said her favourite part of the day was riding in a private taxi, as if they need to travel they usually go in a tro-tro so the taxi seemed very luxurious! Western travellers take the price and availability of taxis in Ghana for granted, as compared to taxis back home they are very cheap. For many Ghanaian people, a tro-tro is their only option as taxis are too expensive.

VOLUNTEER'S TASTY TREAT RECIPE

by April Shacklock

Pineapple Fritters

1.     Beat a few eggs in a medium sized bowl.

2.     Get another medium sized bowl with a thick layer of flour in it & do the same with some breadcrumbs.

3.     Heat a saucepan which is about half full of oil.

4.     Cut the pineapple into rings.

5.     Dip each ring first in the flour, then in the egg,

      then in the breadcrumbs.

6.     Dip the pineapple ring into the hot oil for approximately 10 seconds or until it has turned golden brown.

7.     Serve and enjoy as a snack or dessert!

VOLUNTEER'S HEALTHY RECIPE

Bolognaise Stuffed Peppers - A healthier way to eat bolognaise!

by April Shacklock

1.    Shallow fry about 25g of ground beef until it turns brown.

2.    Add bolognaise sauce to the beef and simmer until the consistency is thick.

3.    Hollow out the pepper and then cut in half length ways.

4.    Shallow fry the pepper halves, turning

     once to heat the pepper and soften it

     a little.

5.    Stuff the pepper halves with the bolognaise and sprinkle with cheese if desired.

6.    Serve and enjoy!

Serving Tip: Serve with a side of salad or French bread.

KOTOKURABA MARKET WILL BE CONSTRUCTED!

by April Shacklock

 

During his ‘Thank you’ Tour on Friday 17^th August 2012, President Mahama stood on the bare building plot and reassured the people of Cape Coast that Kotokuraba Market would be constructed!

The main aim of his tour was to extend his hand and thank the people of Cape Coast for their participation in the late President John Atta Mills’ funeral. Accompanying him on his ‘Thank you’ tour was Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr Mike Hammah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress and Ama Benyiwa-Doe, the Central Regional Minister.

Each town welcomed the new President and his entourage in a unique way. At Kasoa, The Young Seed Academy took the President on a marching band parade through the streets to welcome him before the speeches begun. During the speeches at Kasoa women from the audience took to the floor to dance and celebrate. The President explained it was important to him to start the tour in the central region as it was the home of the late President Mills. His final stop in Cape Coast Victoria Park was the most exhilarating. It was like a colourful durbar as the chiefs of Cape Coast paraded around the square in their finest attire and entertainers pleased the crowds before the President arrived.

 

As well as thanking the people for their respect towards President Mills, President Mahama was also keen to address issues of the future which he recognises are at the forefront of society’s mind. Under a blazing sun which was baking the land dry, President John Mahama promised the traders of Kotokuraba that this land would soon be fruitful again. The Kotokuraba Market has been a subject of debate for many years now. But on Friday 17th August, we were told that the President has the paperwork for the market’s funds sitting on his desk. President Mahama said he regrets that President Mills cannot be here to sign the documents, because this was a project dear to his heart as it will completely revitalise his home community.

 

Currently, the site of the project is bare and unsightly after demolition took place to remove the old market stalls. It has looked this way for so long now that the community had lost confidence that this area would once again be a sight of business. However, as the crowds gathered to hear President Mahama’s word of assurance, the community celebrated and faith was restored into the faces of the market women. The President must have sensed pessimism in the audience as he emphasised his commitment to the project: “But I wish to assure you as your son that I will very quickly sign the documents so that the money is made available for the project to take place.”





 

With the December elections looming, it is especially important that the people believe Mahama will see this project through and at least begin construction before December 7^th. Just providing this market alone could guarantee the National Democratic Congress many votes, this is how passionate the market women of Kotokuraba are to see their market built. Elsewhere on his tour he directly addressed the December elections, appealing to the people to behave peacefully: "God will continue to be with all Ghanaians to have a peaceful and respectful election that will be admirable to all in Africa". He also asked that the other political parties steer away from defamation and insults in their upcoming campaigns to help keep the peace in Ghana during the election period. President Mahama was very gracious towards the other parties including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention People's Party (CPP), People's National Convention (PNC) and the Progressive People's Party (PPP). He thanked them for their conduct during the mourning period of President Mills as they all suspended their campaigns during this time.

Another announcement which was greatly celebrated by the people of Cape Coast was about the Cape Coast Stadium. Mahama said the stadium will be built by the Chinese Government as a memorial gift to the late President Mills. The plans for the stadium are already very advanced, the Chinese government have agreed to the financing, the Ghanaian government have approved the design and soon the people of Cape Coast will be asked to join the President to cut the sod for the Cape Coast Stadium project to commence. 

It was not only these announcements which caused the crowds to ripple with excitement however, at every town he visited he was greeted with more and more excitement. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of Ghana’s new President whilst shouting their praise and cheering. The security personnel had a tough job on their hands! All the energy seemed to be positive, so it appears Cape Coast has accepted President John Dramani Mahama as their son. But the December elections will tell if the people of Ghana have the belief that he will provide the country with as much as President John Atta Mills did.

 

As the President continues his tour to the western region, then on to promoting his policies, the market traders of Kotokuraba will only be waiting for one thing, for the builders to begin work on their market.





UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST TO GRADUATE MEDICAL DOCTORS NEXT YEAR

By: April Shacklock

 The School of Medical Sciences of the University of Cape Coast will next year  graduate her first batch of Medical Doctors in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

The Vice Dean Prof. Gladys Amponsah, has disclosed that She made this known at third White Coat Ceremony which saw 48 students making the transition from medical student to medical professional. 

The White Coat Ceremony is a symbolic action of robing the students in a traditional white doctor’s coat to mark the beginning of their progression into clinical health sciences. The students will be starting their placements at the Central Regional Hospital this week. The White Coat Ceremony originated in the USA in 1989, but has since become tradition across the world and UCCSMS is proud to be hosting its third White Coat Ceremony, especially as it is the only institution in Ghana to carry out these ceremonies.

The service not only celebrated the fresh students who were about to embark on their journey, it also celebrated the huge success of the current medical students who are already working in hospitals. To put the students’ anxiety at ease they were assured that those who received their white coats in 2010 and 2011 have successfully completed their years of clinical placements.

The Dean of UCCSMS, Professor Harold S. Amonoo-Kuofi also gave an inspiring welcoming speech to both the students and the audience. There was a large audience for the event, compiled of members of faculty, distinguished members of the health service, as well as press and family members of the students. The Dean outlined the significance of the white coat and what it should represent to its beholder. The white coat creates an image of having a serious purpose, their medical duties. When wearing a white coat, a person should feel honoured and compassionate towards every patient. Most importantly, it is a visual reminder of the pledge, ‘do no harm’.

The audience was offered an insight into the learning process of the medical students, as the Dean explained how they manufacture their modules to have sophisticated, problem-based learning at the centre to promote critical thinking. They are also particularly proud of their unique module, Personal & Professional Development. This teaches students the highest standard of both ethics and education. Students and graduates of UCCSMS will always act in their patients’ best interests. The university programme is designed to simultaneously promote physical, emotional and intellectual growth in their scholars through working autonomously and as a team.

It was clear to see why UCCSMS is one of the best schools in Ghana and why they have reason to be so proud of their facilities and students. They have invested in everything possible including; quality books in the library, ICT services, wifi, high-level laboratories and an e-learning platform. In fact, UCCSMS’s reputation is exceeding the borders of Ghana, many West African countries dream of having facilities such as those at UCCSMS. Recently, a new medical school in Nigeria took a copy of UCCSMS’ blueprints in order to be able to exactly replicate the standard of learning in their school.  UCCSMS really is a pioneering institution Cape Coast should be honoured to possess.

Thigh quality of teaching and facilities in UCCSMS will provide the students with the knowledge and experience to practice medicine anywhere in the world, although we hope our students will want to stay in Cape Coast and improve the lives of our community. 

The ceremony also welcomed guest speaker, Dr. Eric Asamoah, who is part of the Medical and Dental Council in Ghana. His speech was a fantastic representation of the entire ceremony, a celebration conducted with good humour and respect towards the medical profession. He described the relationship between doctor and patient as a ‘social contract’. The patient entrusts the doctor with their body and mind, in return the doctor promises their good will, knowledge and medical services. After all you cannot succeed as a doctor on good grades alone, you must also be able to build a relationship and show compassion towards your patient. Amongst all the medical professionals who spoke during the ceremony, compassion was a key word in their explanations of acceptable practice.

Dr. Eric Asamoah also reminded us that although medicine has come a long way, for example the suppression of Smallpox, there is still a lot of work to be done by our health service with diseases such as AIDS and tuberculosis in our country.

Finally, the students were ready to receive their coats from their mentors after hearing the informative and inspiring speeches of the chairman, Dean and the guest speaker. The faces of the mentors were filled with pride and expectation, whilst the students showed their gratitude at being able to be part of the ceremony. From now on, whether literally wearing the white coat or not, these people will think and act like medical professionals.

Dr. E. K. Atipui then administered the School of Medical Sciences Medical Students’ oath. The students vowed to practice, cultivate, remember, cherish, respect, and be compassionate. The future of Ghana’s health service was in that room promising to help us now and in the future, it was a moving experience to witness such devotion.

Central Press spoke to one student after the ceremony to see how she felt now she had officially been given her white coat. Jemima Owusuaa Yeboah said she felt ‘excited and was looking forward to working in the hospital as a professional and hardworking doctor’. These feelings were shared by all the students at the ceremony, any nerves or uncertainties were buried beneath their passion to succeed.  

UCCSMS’s third White Coat Ceremony was an opportunity for the school to show the public the prestigious progressions they are making as well as to celebrate the success of the Class of 2015. We wish the students good luck in their future studies and look forward to celebrating their graduation in three years!