Six students of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) have received financial support under the “Dora Gertrude Quaye Memorial Scholarship,” valued at GHS36,520 for the 2026/2027 academic year.
The beneficiaries—Amankwah Louisa Appiagyaa, Dufie Fedra, Philomena Adjei, Grace Antwi, Rukaa Fuseini, and Victoria Quarshie—form part of a growing cohort benefiting from a scheme designed to support brilliant but financially challenged students, particularly females in health-related disciplines.
Since its establishment, the scholarship has supported 21 students, with total disbursements reaching GHS117,038 over the past five years.
The announcement was made during the Fifth Professor Margaret Gyapong Annual Lecture and Mentorship Programme held at the Cedi Auditorium in Ho, an event dedicated to empowering female students, faculty, and staff of UHAS.
The scholarship was initiated by Professor Margaret Gyapong, a renowned epidemiologist and former Director of the Institute of Health Research at UHAS, using her €20,000 “Outstanding Female Science” award from the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership in 2021. The fund was created in memory of her late mother to promote access to education for needy but talented individuals.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Gyapong reflected on her upbringing and said her mother’s sacrifices inspired her commitment to supporting education, especially for women. She also appealed for additional support from stakeholders to expand the initiative and reach more beneficiaries.
Vice Chancellor of UHAS, Prof. Lydia Aziato, praised Prof. Gyapong’s contribution to academia and noted her impact on health research and institutional development.
The lecture, themed “Nurturing the Girl-Child: What Investment Do We Need?”, was delivered by Prof. Esther Yeboah Danso-Wiredu of the University of Education, Winneba, who urged stronger investment in girls’ development.
She stressed that nurturing the girl-child should be seen as a shared responsibility involving families, institutions, and communities, rather than government alone, and called for greater emphasis on character development and values education.
