The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) provided equipment support to the laboratories within the Medical Laboratory Sciences Department at the University of Ghana.
TIKA supplied microscopes to the Medical Laboratory Sciences Department at the University of Ghana, where practical education continues with limited resources. The department, which has a total of three large laboratories and 700 students, only had seven functioning microscopes.
The student community known as the National Health Students Association of Ghana (NAHSAG), consisting of medical students, reported the department's need for microscopes through the Turkish Embassy in Accra and called for support. Responding to the students' appeal, TIKA doubled the existing capacity of the university laboratories, which had seven old-generation microscopes, by providing nine binocular microscopes and two digital microscopes. Additionally, TIKA offered training to the authorities on using the new microscopes, which were supported by high-resolution screens.
The delivery ceremony for the equipment took place on Oct. 29, 2024, in conjunction with Republic Day. The event was attended by Türkiye's ambassador to Accra, Hüseyin Güngör, Ghana's Deputy Minister of Health Alhaji Hafiz Adam, TIKA Niamey Coordinator Tanju Polat and representatives from the University of Ghana.
In his speech, Ambassador Güngör informed the guests about the establishment process of the Republic of Türkiye. He emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation for social and humanitarian development and noted that Türkiye's investments in the country would continue to grow, expressing his belief that cooperation between the two countries would increase.
Polat stated that the Türkiye-Ghana technical cooperation, which manifests in various areas such as vocational training, digital design laboratories and media training, is growing with the supply of new-generation microscopes. Deputy Health Minister Hafız Adam remarked that Türkiye is one of Ghana's most important partners in economic development and that it has become the second-largest country for foreign investments in Ghana.
He also thanked the Turkish people for the previously established Cezeri Digital Production Laboratory and the newly supplied microscopes. The project aims to enhance the technical and technological capacity of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Department and meet the microbiology technology needs of state hospitals in Ghana while improving research and educational opportunities.
