Healthcare professionals can drive transformative change in health systems by combining their clinical expertise with entrepreneurial thinking, the Health Entrepreneurship Pillar Lead of the African Health Collaborative at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), Prof. Wilberforce Achiaw Owusu-Ansah, has said.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fourth Community Health Entrepreneurship (CHE) Short Course, Prof. Owusu-Ansah said the five-day training programme is designed to equip health professionals with entrepreneurial skills and innovation-driven approaches to improve healthcare delivery and health outcomes.
He acknowledged the extensive expertise participants already possess in healthcare service delivery but stressed the need to complement that knowledge with entrepreneurial competencies capable of driving innovation and sustainable change.
“You are safeguarding our lives, protecting our communities, and nurturing society in every possible way through your work in healthcare and humanitarian services. What we seek to do through this course is to strengthen that impact by exposing you to entrepreneurial mindsets and knowledge that can help generate innovative and transformative solutions for our health system,” he stated.
Prof. Owusu-Ansah said the programme aims to empower participants to identify opportunities within their institutions, mobilise resources, and develop practical solutions that improve healthcare delivery while building resilient health systems capable of responding to emerging challenges.
“We are looking at transformational change, one that enables healthcare professionals to deliver care in ways that communities can clearly see and benefit from. By nurturing health-based ideas, we can not only improve the health system but also improve lives,” he added.
Lead Facilitator, Dr. Isaac Tweneboah Koduah, urged participants to approach the programme with a mindset of transformation and continuous improvement. He encouraged them to return to their institutions ready to strengthen systems, improve service delivery, and explore innovative solutions to community health challenges.
“My hope is that by the time we leave here, all of us will have two things in mind, first, to go back into our health facilities with the mindset to bring efficiency and improvement in what we do, and second, to begin thinking business, identifying problems in our communities and developing sustainable business ideas that address them,” he said.
Dr. Koduah highlighted the importance of both intrapreneurship, which drives innovation within existing institutions, and entrepreneurship, which creates new health-focused ventures capable of improving community wellbeing and expanding access to quality healthcare services.
Also addressing participants, the Pillar Lead for Health Employment, Prof. Kofi Akohene Mensah, emphasised the practical orientation of the course and encouraged participants to maximise the learning opportunity.
He noted that experienced facilitators would guide participants through proven frameworks, tools and theories to help them transform challenges within healthcare facilities into viable and impactful solutions.
“The seasoned facilitators are here to support you in turning the gaps, problems, and opportunities in your facilities into viable ideas. I encourage you to learn diligently and take full advantage of this experience so that you can return to your institutions and make a meaningful impact,” he stated.
