Department of Physiotherapy
About the department
Background
The Ministry of Health in collaboration with College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana established the School of Allied Health Sciences (SAHS) now School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), in the year 2000 to train Allied Health Professionals including physiotherapists. The department of Physiotherapy was established in 2001 as a constituent of SAHS to train physiotherapists in a four-year Bachelor of Science degree programme. The programme commenced in 2001/2002 academic year with 15 students of which 13 completed and successfully graduated in 2005.
The commencement of the programme was necessitated by the glaring needs for rehabilitation services in Ghana to train adequate numbers of physiotherapists. Prior to the introduction of this programme, the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Health (MOH) periodically sponsored selected Ghanaians to embark on physiotherapy training abroad. Since the inception of physiotherapy training in 2001, the school has graduated over three hundred (300) physiotherapists who provide curative and rehabilitative care to the growing number of clients across the regions in Ghana and beyond.
The department is the first and main physiotherapy training entity in Ghana to date. The academic staff of the department devote their commitments to teaching, supervision, research, professional training as well as national and community services.
Mission, vision and objectives
Mission: Our Mission is to produce highly qualified and competent physiotherapists to provide promotive, preventive and curative services to meet the health needs of the nation and the global community through world-class excellence in physiotherapy education, clinical practice, research and dissemination of knowledge.
Vision: To bring good health, comfort and happiness to people.
Objectives:
1. To train professional physiotherapists.
2. To help students in acquiring knowledge and skills in the practical application of physiotherapeutic treatments
3. To prepare students to practice evidenced-based contemporary therapy.
Activities
The department of physiotherapy organizes semester-based seminars for students and Faculty Members as well as workshops for practicing physiotherapists, physiotherapy assistants and selected members of communities on various topical healthcare knowledge base. The seminars and workshops are aimed at assisting physiotherapists to develop advanced skills in preparation for changing roles in clinical practice and academia. Scholars are invited across the globe as facilitators.
As part of community service, the department also runs certificate programme in collaboration with Ghana Football Association to train Sports Masseurs in the management of basic sports injuries. Similarly, there is an on-going collaboration with the University of Ghana Sports Directorates to cover sporting events so as to ensure adequate management of Collegiate Athletes.
The department offers itself for quality assurance and control by inviting scholars from other African Universities such as University of Pretoria (South Africa), University of Ibadan (Nigeria), University of Cape Town (South Africa) and Obafemi Awolowo University (Nigeria), to moderate final year students’ clinical and oral examinations.
Heads of department and their tenures
Dr. Jonathan Quartey 2018 to date
Prof. Ajediran I. Bello 2014 to 2018
Ms. Anna Hughton 2012 to 2014
Prof. E.K. Wiredu 2001 to 2012
Previous coordinators and their tenures
Ms Anna Hughton (Coordinator) 2010 to 2012
Dr. Jonathan Quartey (Coordinator) 2008 to 2010
Prof. A.O. Olawale (Coordinator) 2005 to 2008