One hundred and eighteen scholars are beneficiaries of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative scholarship at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

The second cohort of beneficiaries comprising both Ghanaian and international scholars will have the opportunity to study postgraduate programmes such as MPhil. Health Systems Research and Management, MSc. Health Entrepreneurship, and MSc/MPhil. Health Services Planning and Management.

The rest are MSc/MPhil. Global Health, MPhil. Field Epidemiology and Applied Biostatistics and PhD Global Health and Non Communicable Diseases.

Others will also be pursuing diploma and certificate programmes such as Dip. Phlebotomy, Dip. Medical Laboratory, Dip. Health information, Dip. Health Communication and Certificate in Medicine Counter Assistant.

The primary objective of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Higher Education Health Collaborative is to build and strengthen the capacity of healthcare students and professionals to meet the growing demand for Primary Health Care (PHC) in Ghana.

KNUST is one of eight partners of the Higher Education Collaborative in Health with the aim to contribute to all three pillars of the health strategy: Health Employment, Health Entrepreneurship, and Health Ecosystems.

The Health Entrepreneurship pillar aims to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and culture that supports entrepreneurs to create meaningful innovations and employment opportunities in the health sector.

The Health Ecosystem pillar also aims to train and prepare a new generation of talented professionals with the broad sets of skills required to drive equitable and inclusive growth.

The Health Employment pillar also aims to expand and improve current capacities to train primary healthcare workers. This workshop is under the auspices of the health employment pillar.

At an orientation session for the scholars, the pillar lead of Health Ecosystem, Dr. Joseph Owusu exposed the scholars to activities of the Collaborative while the pillar lead for Health Employment, Dr. Kofi Akohene Mensah urged the scholars to take their studies seriously to justify the investment in them.