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Audiology in Ghana: a situational analysis FACTFILE... Ghana is a middle income country and the second most urbanized country in sub-Saharan Africa, with an annual live birth of 700,000 (Olusanya, 2008) and a population of about 27.41 million (World Bank, 2015).
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Authors and Correspondence Yaw Nyadu Offei Audiologist. MSc. (UC, London, 2016): D.Phil (UniKoeln, Germany, 2013).Centre for Hearing and Speech Services, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. E: ynoffei@uew.edu.gh; E: ynyaduoffei@gmail.com
Sesi Collins Akotey Audiologist (MSc) 2013 Centre for Hearing and Speech Services University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. E: scakotey@yahoo.com Cyril Mawuli Honu-Mensah Audiologist (MSc) 2015 Centre for Hearing and Speech Services University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. E: cylogh@yahoo.com
The Genesis The provision of audiological services in Ghana dates back to the early 1970s when Andreas Markides, a Briton, assumed post as Director of the Deaf Education Specialist Training College at Mampong - Akuapem in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The focus then was for educational purposes. In the mid-1980s, a number of Ghanaian teachers of the Deaf were sent to the United States of America and trained as Audiologists and Speech Therapists. These included Joseph Essel (Audiologist), Grace Yawo Gadagbui, Emmanuel Appiah, and Albert Osei Bagyina (all Speech Therapists). In 1993 however, the hearing assessment centre at Mampong Akuapem relocated to Winneba and began operation as a unit within the Department of Special Education of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW). In Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana, there were attempts to set up an audiological facility as well. In the 1980s, Prof Sir, Dr. Dr. G.W. Brobbey began to lobby the Commonwealth Society for the Deaf (CSD) (Now Sound Seekers) of UK to set up an audiology centre in Kumasi. On June 9, 1993, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, the Asantehene commissioned the KATH Assessment Centre that was built with funds from the CSD. At about the same period, Ms. Grace Ocansey, a peripatetic teacher at the Ghana Education Service (GES) introduced the idea of school hearing screening to students living in Kumasi. Again, in the mid-1980s, a young Audiologist, Geoffrey K. Amedofu (now Professor) joined the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) after training in USA. In 2005, Mr.
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