Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has supplied essential laboratory equipment to the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences at the University of Ghana.

TİKA provided binoculars and microscopes to support the department’s hands-on education program, which currently operates with limited resources. Despite having 700 students and three large laboratories, the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences previously had only seven functioning microscopes.

Student community calls for support

The National Health Students Association of Ghana (NAHSAG), a student organization formed by medical students, issued a call for support by communicating the department’s need for microscopes to the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Accra.

In response to this request, TİKA supplied nine binocular microscopes and two digital microscopes to the university’s laboratories, effectively doubling their previous capacity, which had consisted of only seven outdated microscopes. TİKA also provided training to university staff on the use of these new microscopes, which are equipped with high-resolution screens.

Delivery ceremony held on October 29

The equipment delivery ceremony took place at the University of Ghana on October 29, 2024 in celebration of Republic Day. The event was attended by Hüseyin Güngör, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Accra; Alhaji Hafiz Adam, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health of Ghana; TİKA’ Coordinator in Niamey, Tanju Polat and representatives from the University of Ghana.

During the ceremony, Ambassador Güngör spoke to guests about the founding of the Republic of Türkiye in honor of Republic Day. He highlighted the significance of bilateral cooperation in advancing social and human development and discussed Turkish investments in Ghana. Güngör expressed his belief that cooperation between the two countries will continue to strengthen.

TİKA Coordinator Polat remarked that Türkiye-Ghana technical cooperation is expanding across various fields, including vocational training, digital design laboratories and media training, and that this cooperation is further enriched with the recent initiative to supply next-generation microscopes.  

Mr. Hafiz Adam, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health of Ghana, highlighted Türkiye as a key partner in Ghana’s economic development, noting that Ghana has now become the country with the second-largest commercial investment from Türkiye.

He also acknowledged TİKA’s contributions, expressing gratitude to the Turkish people for the previously established Al-Jazari Digital Production Laboratory and for the next-generation microscopes provided on this occasion.

The project aims to support public hospitals in Ghana with essential microbiology technology by enhancing the technical and technological capacity of the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, while also improving research and training opportunities.