MRS. RUTH AKU GYANG RURAL SERVICE AWARD

Criteria for Nomination

1. A registered member of GRNMA with valid PIN
2. A minimum of 10 years working experience in a rural/deprived/underserved community in Ghana
3. Evidence of community acceptance and integration
4. Evidence of active engagement with community members
5. Evidence of tangible achievements in service delivery in the facility/community
6. Evidence of improved indicators in the community including reduced morbidity and mortality
7. Evidence of effective management of resources
8. Track record of effective reporting and communication with higher health facilities
9. Evidence of mentorship and succession planning of staff
10. Evidence of collaboration with other professionals to improve the community
11. One awardee would be selected from each of the 10(ten) GRNMA administrative regions.

 

Short Bio of Mrs. Ruth Aku Gyang

Mrs. Ruth Aku Gyang started her nursing training at St. James Hospital School of Nursing, England and continued with Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) programme at Knowle Hospital Nursing Training School in Hampshire, England. She then proceeded with Midwifery training at South London Hospital for women and Children School of Midwifery, London. She practiced in the UK for 5 years and went through the various orientations in Ghana in order to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana. She obtained Post Basic Diploma in Nursing Service Administration, 1980 from the University of Ghana. She furthered her professional competence in Infection Prevention/Control at the University of Ulster, Colraine, Northern Ireland and took a Diploma course in Peri-Operative and Critical Care Nursing at the University of Vermont Medical Centre, Burlington Vermont, USA. She also took a certificate course in Oncology, Cancer Nursing at the Royal Marsden Hospital, Chelsea, London in 1988. Mrs. Gyang later obtained a Master’s Degree (MA) in Educational Administration from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

In 1983, she was appointed Deputy Registrar at the Nursing and Midwifery Council Ghana, responsible for coordination of Midwifery Licensing Examination (Theory and Practical).  In 1989, she was appointed as Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, a position she held till 2005. Her role as the longest serving Registrar transcended all levels of care including rural health settings and nurses and midwives in all facilities.

She was the first Nurse/Midwife who represented Nursing and Midwifery Council at the Higher Education Board of the Ministry of Education which is now called National Accreditation Board (NAB) and introduced relevant subjects in the Nursing programme to meet the Tertiary Educational standard. She again developed the Schedule/log book for all categories of student Nurses and Midwives which helps them keep record of all practical training or clinical practice as well as lectures.