I donate my house to UHAS!
Will you donate your house to a university? Especially a newly established one whose vaulting ambitions are not matched by its financial muscle?
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Welcome to the evolving story of the University Of Health & Allied Science (UHAS) whose vision of developing a pre-eminent research and practically oriented health educational institution dedicated to community service is so compelling that many individuals and communities have flocked to its aid.
Indeed, all over the world, prominent universities thrive on endowments, defined as money or other financial assets that are donated to universities or colleges. These endowments further the mission of universities which in the case of UHAS, is to provide quality educational opportunities to students and healthcare professionals, advance knowledge through scholarship and research, and provide patient care and services that will improve health and quality of life. Harvard University, for example, reportedly has endowments worth billions of dollars.
As the UHAS endowments go, Dr Christian Ayebeng Botchway, a renowned Ghanaian pioneer dentist, has etched his name in gold by making the largest individual donation to date. A few months ago, Dr Botchway donated 0.84 acres of land with a six-bedroom estate property located at the Teshie Nungua estates in Accra and worth GH¢ 1.5million to UHAS.
The property previously served as Dr Botchway’s dental clinic with an adjourning accommodation. With this donation, UHAS has immediately addressed its pressing need for a guest and conference centre in Accra.
On March 4, 2016, three university officials, Vice Chancellor Fred Binka, Registrar Dr Sena Kpeglo and lecturer, Dr Francis Zotor, presented Dr Botchway a citation during which short event he was informed of the university’s decision to name the facility after him as the ‘Dr Christian Ayebeng Botchway UHAS Guest Complex’.
Dr C.A Botchway is a former lecturer of the University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS), a two-time Chairman of the Medical and Dental Council and played a very active role in the establishment of the first dental school in Ghana. Currently retired, he lives in Canada with his family.
Traditional leaders and their communities in the Volta Region, where the university is sited, have also stood up to be counted with similar endowments to the university. The vice chancellor is quick to point to the overwhelming support from various districts.
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“The chiefs and people of Worawora have willingly released a multi-purpose structure for use by the university as a learning and vocational training centre, with a promise of more support. The Keta District Assembly has also released a beautiful office complex and accommodation facility at Vodza to UHAS”, revealed the Vice Chancellor.
Additionally, the Municipal/District assemblies across the region have pledged to build at least a bungalow each for the use of UHAS medical consultants in the various communities. The assemblies are reportedly at different stages of this project; the Hohoe Municipal Assembly is constructing two of such facilities and the Ho Municipal Assembly has almost completed one such project, a 4-bedroom bungalow on the campus. It is here by recalled that UHAS is pioneering a model of community-based training which would see a strengthened core – the Volta Regional Teaching Hospital – and refurbished surrounding district hospitals which would all be deployed as training sites with specialists on site to serve as faculty for medical students on rotation.
UHAS started in September 2012 with 154 students and five schools namely, School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Midwifery, School of Public Health, School of Allied Health Sciences and School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences.
Currently, the university has a total student population of 2,044, with 934 students admitted in 2015. Further, 105 students are in the School of Medicine undertaking the medical degree programme.
The faculty strength is currently 138, 32 per cent of whom are female. UHAS has 49 part-time lecturers and is currently sponsoring 12 doctors at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons to pursue post graduate education in order to join the faculty as lecturers.
Finally, the university’s management and employees have also demonstrated their faith in the vision of UHAS by contributing GH¢20,000 as seed capital for an endowment fund. This fund will soon be launched and the university will vigorously pursue stakeholders such as the government of Ghana, the international community, the business community, traditional leaders and individuals for generous donations.
Hopefully, this spirit of generosity exhibited by the likes of C. A. Botchway and the various communities in the Volta Region will spur compatriots far and near to seriously consider making massive contributions to support the vision and mission of UHAS or any other Ghanaian university for that matter.