Dr. Cornelius Gligui receiving the award from Prof. Nii Otu Nartey, former C.E.O Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

Dr. Cornelius Atsu Gligui, an Atebubu based medical officer in the Brong Ahafo Region, has been awarded and judged as the best medical practitioner in the country and was one of the latest recipients of the "Medical Excellence Awards (MEA) 2015" for Healthcare Delivery in Ghana. The award ceremony took place on 27th November 2015, at the Banquet Hall State House, Accra. It was the maiden edition for medical excellence awards (MEA). On the whole, 24 health workers were honored, three each from eight categories namely: Doctors, Dentists, Pharmacists, Nurses, Midwives, Diagnostic Sciences, Auxilliary Staff (cleaners, orderlies, security personnel, records) and Mortuary attendants.

The key objectives of the Awards were to honour outstanding achievement in the field of healthcare delivery, to honour and celebrate selflessness of health workers in various disciplines, and to educate health workers and youth in particular on the need for compassion, dedication and excellence in healthcare delivery.

The criteria for selection were sent to the various hospital administrators across the country both public and private facilities of which nominations were received. These nominations were not informed to the selected personnel by their administrators. A total of two thousand five hundred and fifty (2550) nominations were received from over two hundred and fifty (250) facilities across the country and submitted to a consultant. An adopted approach through SPSS software was used to randomly select from every face of the selection process to reduce the number to seventy three (73) after which a questioner was administered to these facilities within which the personnel work for further selection to the scheme, those selected were rated and graduated to the final phase of the selection of which a winner emerges.

"For your dedication and unremitting service to your society, with love for humanity and selfless approach to solving and bring solutions to our health service. A toast to your hard work, discipline, honesty and passion for your work that has affected the lives of many positively. MEA....... because excellence and selflessness must be awarded," reads the citation after which the award was handed over to Dr. Cornelius Atsu Gligui.

After completing the prestigious Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry in 2004, Dr. Gligui did his medical practice (housemanship) in a local hospital as required by the Ghana Medical Council. Currently based at Atebubu, one of the deprived districts in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana, Dr. Gligui has been working there as a general medical practitioner in charge of the hospital for the past seven years.

According to official information made available, the hospital receives a daily attendance of an average of 150 to 200 hundred patients at the peak season. Being the only medical doctor assigned to the district, he does all the clinical and surgical works at the hospital as well as supervision of the day-to-day running of the hospital.

Dr. Gligui is part of a medical team who organizes and supports financially medical outreach services to St. Mary's Seminary Senior High School and the entire Lolobi community in the Volta Region of Ghana. He supported brilliant but needy students and occasionally paid medical bills for patients who could not afford to pay their medical bills. Dr Cornelius Atsu Gligui has a passion for his medical work and does all his responsibilities with uttermost dedication.

The award committee was chaired by Dr. D.A Titus-Adandada and a fifteen member special committee (technical): Mr. Christian Quao (Senior Inspecting Pharmacist Pharmacy Council), Prof. Sir George Wreko Brobbey (Rector, College of Physicians & Surgeons), Prof. David Ofori-Adjei (Rector College of Physicians & Surgeons), Mr. Kwaku Asante-Kroba (President of the Ghana Registered Nurses), Mrs. Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo (General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses) and Dr. Eric Asamoa (Chairman of the Medical & Dental Council).

The rest of the committee members included: Dr. Ken Sagoe (Council Member, Medical & Dental Council), Dr. Kwasi Odoi-Agyarko (National President, Society of Private Medical & Dental Practioners Ghana), Dr. Isaac Morrison (National Vice President & Chairman Greater Accra SPMDPG), Dr. Patrick Karikari (Ghana Dental Association), Dr. Mrs. Chloris Adadevoh (Ghana Dental Association), Mrs. Beatrice Ntow (Midwives Council), Mrs. Evelyn Owusu (Midwives Council), Dr. Frank Serebour (General Secretary, Ghana Medical Association) and Prof. Frimpong Boeteng (Heart surgeon and past director of the Cardiothoracic Centre).

About the Award

The Medical Excellence Awards (MEA) for Healthcare Delivery Personnel was established in 2011 with the objective of honoring health care delivery works both in public and private facilities from every part of the ten regions of Ghana who tirelessly pursue distinctive medical service that serve the larger interest of humanity. The award is purely private free from political interference at all levels; initiated by Dr. Dauda Amidu Titus-Adandada and governed by Medical Excellence Awards Council. The MEA is financed by sourced sponsorship from partners around the globe.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

Kester Kenn Klomegah is an independent researcher and writer on African affairs.