The University for Development Studies on Thursday, December 15, 2022 entered into a collaborative agreement with the Iran University of Medical Sciences to enhance quality training of Medical Practitioners, especially students of the UDS School of Medical Medicine, School of Nursing and Midwifery and the Department of Medical Physics and Imaging. The MoU was signed in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor Prof, Seidu Al-hassan after series of deliberations between the two parties that clearly laid out the roadmap for implementation.

Representing the Iranians was Dr. Masoud Maleki Birjandi, the Deputy Vice President for International Affairs at the Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, who visited UDS to see to the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding. When the deal kick off, it will witness staff and students exchanges programmes between the two institutions, joint research works, support in infrastructural development in UDS, setting up of key medical equipment such as scanners and MRI machines among others in UDS, to enhance staff capacity and help train medical students to provide quality health care to the people.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Maleki assured the Vice-Chancellor and the UDS Management of his side’s commitment to the success of the collaboration. He pledged his personal commitment and that of his institution and country to the success of the collaboration. Dr. Maleki however, proposed the setting up of an Iranian Center on UDS Campus where the medical equipment from Iran will be kept and jointly managed by the two institutions to ensure efficiency and transparency.

The Centre, he added, will be the practical training ground for staff and students in the handling of the machines. He was quick to add that the Centre will be fully handed over to UDS after some time.

For his part, the Vice-Chancellor of UDS, Prof. Seidu Al-hassan thanked Dr. Maleki and the Government and people of Iran for their diverse support to Ghana and more especially, to the Muslim communities across the country.  He noted that the setting up of such critical medical equipment in UDS will go a long way to improve health delivery not only to the people of Tamale, but to the entire northern sector and even to the neighbouring countries. Prof. Seidu Al-hassan assured the meeting of the UDS’ commitment to the deal and called for an immediate rollout of the programme even if it means starting in a temporary structure.

Present at the meeting were the Pro-VC, Prof. Felix K. Abagale, The Registrar, Mr. Nurudeen I. Abubakar, Prof. Courage Saaba, Director, UDS International Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Hardi Shaibu, Director of Finance, Mr. Samuel Abiko, Director of WPD, Dr. Vida Yakong Dean of School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mr. Abdulai Abukari, Acting Director of Internal Audit and   many other Academic and Administrative staff including staff from the UDS Public Relations Office.