Sports and Exercise Medical Science: A powerful tool for Ghana’s development
Sports and Exercise Medical Science (SEMS) is a powerful yet underutilised instrument for advancing Ghana's sustainable development.
This interdisciplinary field integrates medical and scientific principles to optimise physical activity, enhance athletic performance, prevent injuries, facilitate rehabilitation, and promote broader public health.
In Ghana, where sports, especially football and athletics, form a cornerstone of national identity and pride, SEMS offers immense strategic potential. Grounded in the timeless Latin principle “Mens sana in corpore sano” (translated “a healthy mind in a sound body"), the School of Sports and Exercise Medicine (SSEM) at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho plays a fundamental role as the envisioned body to train essential professionals equipped to address healthcare needs across all sporting disciplines in Ghana, delivering specialised expertise in sports and exercise medical science.
Ghana faces a growing burden of Non-Communicable Diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular conditions. A nationwide survey on Non-Communicable Diseases found that these diseases account for about 45 per cent of all deaths in the country, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes as the leading contributors (Daily Graphic, 2024).
This finding was also reaffirmed by the Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, in 2025.
In recent years, Ghanaians have become increasingly health-conscious, showing a strong preference for exercise and physical activity.
This trend is evident in the surge in jogging, walking, and other activities across the country, particularly around the Ayi-Mensah and Aburi mountains, where people of all ages gather on weekends to participate in various forms of exercise.
While these activities are encouraging, they require professional guidance, as individuals differ in body composition and health conditions.
A key gap persists in hospitals, where, when non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are diagnosed, medical professionals often have unspecialised and incomplete knowledge of the appropriate type and dosage of exercise to prescribe.
To address this shortfall, the School of Sports and Exercise Medicine at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ho is training and producing professional Exercise Physiologists equipped to fill the gap.
2. Strengthening sports performance and national image
Ghana has produced outstanding athletes in football, boxing, athletics, and other sports in the past.
The story is undoubtedly different today, probably because we are not giving sports the necessary attention in terms of capital investment.
We are also not nurturing the requisite talent in the various regions where it can be groomed for national and international levels.
Inconsistent performance, frequent injuries and short athletic careers often limit success.
SEMS enhances athlete development through scientific training methods, injury prevention, rehabilitation, nutrition and psychological support.
Investment in SEMS can improve performance at international competitions, boosting Ghana’s global reputation and national pride.
The School of Sports and Exercise Medicine, UHAS, is well-positioned to support the nurturing of such talent in the sub-region.
3. Economic growth and employment opportunities
The development of SEMS creates employment for sports physicians, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, sports scientists, nutritionists, and researchers.
Expanding sports medicine clinics, rehabilitation centres, fitness industries, and research institutions stimulates economic activity.
In contemporary sport, it is essential to engage the services of Sports and Exercise Medical scientists across all sporting clubs and academies, as well as gyms and physical clubs in Ghana, to realise maximum capabilities.
It is not enough to rely solely on raw talent without the application of science and technology.
It is noteworthy that sporting events, academies, and medical support services also contribute to sports tourism and private-sector growth in Ghana.
4. Youth development and education
With a youthful population of approximately 38.2% (Ghana Statistical Service, 2021), Ghana stands to benefit greatly from integrating sports and exercise medical science into education.
SEMS supports safe participation in school sports, early talent identification and long-term athlete development. It also instils discipline, teamwork, leadership, and healthy habits, helping to reduce youth unemployment, crime and sedentary lifestyles.
5. Inclusion, rehabilitation and social cohesion
Sports and exercise medical science supports inclusive participation by women, persons with disabilities, and marginalised groups through adaptive sports and rehabilitation programs.
In Ghana, SEMS can strengthen para-sports, post-injury rehabilitation, and community-based physical activity programs, fostering social inclusion, national unity and improved quality of life.
6. Research, innovation, and health systems development
SEMS promotes research in exercise physiology, biomechanics, injury management, and rehabilitation.
Ghanaian universities and health institutions can leverage this field to drive innovation, develop local solutions, and reduce dependence on imported expertise.
Research outcomes can improve both elite sports performance and general healthcare delivery.
As part of its core mandates, the School of Sports and Exercise Medicine, UHAS, is actively collaborating with other institutions and organisations, both nationally and internationally, on research to find practical solutions to the numerous problems confronting Ghanaian sports.
Conclusion
Sports and exercise medical science is a powerful, multifaceted force for Ghana’s development.
By improving public health, enhancing sporting performance, creating employment, empowering youth, promoting inclusion, and strengthening research capacity, SEMS aligns closely with Ghana’s long-term development goals.
Strategic investment by government, educational institutions, and the private sector can transform SEMS into a cornerstone of national progress.
The School of Sports and Exercise Medicine at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho, Ghana, plays a vital role in training the requisite expertise across all sporting disciplines to meet our insatiable healthcare needs and must, therefore, be given the support it needs to grow and serve the West African sub-region.
The writer is the Dean, School of Sports and Exercise Medicine,
University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho.
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