Four new Bissa medical professionals inducted into office

Three Bissa Medical Doctors and a Physician assistant were on Friday, 8 October 2021, inducted into office by the Ghana Medical and Dental Council in a ceremony held at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Dr. Elham Salifu Zelgeni, Dr Sumaila Iddi Nombre,  Dr Hakeem Seidu-Aroza Zanni and PA Zara Hamidu were among the 702 inductees who had completed their six and seven-year professional medical and dental programmes.

They took the Hippocratic Oath and thus become full members to augment the strength of about 7, 695 Doctors and Dentists serving in various parts of the country.

The inductees included those who had completed their six and seven-year professional programmes from the four Medical and Dentistry schools in the country, namely the School of Medical and Dentistry of the University of Ghana, the School of Medical and Dentistry of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology(KNUST), the School of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University for Development Studies (UDS) and the School of Medical Sciences of the University of Cape Coast.

Also among the young men and women were those who had graduated from universities outside Ghana, including China, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.

Getting a medical degree is an arduous academic journey, followed by years of hard work, dealing with long shifts of days and nights, and the stress of seeing human suffering on a daily basis, hence Doctors are high at the top of the global list of the most rewarding occupations.

While Elham graduated from KNUST Medical School, Hakeem Zanni graduated from the UDS School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Dr Sumaila Nombre on the hand, had his training in China before completing a mandatory one year Service in the country to grab his qualification berth.

Elham Salifu Zelgeni

For Elham, becoming a medical doctor marks a continuation of family tradition as she follows the footstep of her elder brother Salim Salifu,  a Doctor at the Sunyani Goverment Hospital and of her elder sister Hamdiya, who is a Physician Assistant at the Korlebu Polyclinic.

She is the third of five siblings and ultimately married to a medical doctor as well.

She thus becomes one of a kind to which the young Bissa girl can look up in living a dream of a family.

Dr. Sumaila Iddriss Nombre

In a  journey lasting over six years, Sumaila Iddriss Nombre comes in with a different angle of happy story Bissas can share with pride.

The maternal grandson of  Alhaji Ibrahim ‘Jaato’ Nombre of blessed memory, had to switch from one course to another to hit his target.

Having graduated from the Achimota School  in 2013, Sumaila Nombre had to read Computer Science at UDS at the Navrongo campus in the interim prior to his admission to study medicine at Hebei North University in China in 2014.

He returned to the country in 2019 to have his one-year mandatory internship at 37 Military hospital before his  final graduation in the spring of 2020.

In February this year, he took the licensure examination to achieve his childhood dream of serving humanity.

Speaking to bissanewsonline online the young man thanked the almighty God for bringing him that far.

“It has not been an easy one at all but by dint of  hard work and dedication, here we are now, Alhamdulillaah,” he said.

He further showred praises on his family, especially Mr Abdul-Jalil Abdallah Yankini, whom he said “has been of immense help” to his success.

Dr Hakeem Seidu-Aroza Zanni

Hakeem Zanni completed a 7-year medical course at the University for Development Studies (UDS)  Medical School in  an academic journey that began 2014.

Also a graduate of the Achimota School just as his brother Dr Sumaila Nombre.

The feats chocked by the trio signify Bissas contribution in the injection of human resource into the country’s health system, where the doctor/patient ratio stands at about 1:4,500.

Family Pride

The happy-looking medical doctors were joined by their family members, friends and loved ones to celebrate their successful certification to  join the noble profession.

It was a moment of pride for their families and the Bissas fraternity as their achievements add a feather in the cup of the fraternity .

Zara Hamdi

The Physician Assistant, who had her induction ceremony a day earlier, graduated from the Central University College.

They will be admitted into the Bissa Healthworkers Union (BHU) as it seeks to bring healthworkers under one umbrella.

The inductees were advised to be mindful of the ethics of their profession and take keen interest in the well-being of their patients.

The newly qualified health professionals were also advised to uphold the Physician’s Oath, which enjoins them to be dedicated to the service of humanity.

Story by: Tanko Abdul Malik Guerm

Follow Abdul Malik Guerm both on Twitter and Instagram @Malikalmaestro