Ahead of the official launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the School of Medical Sciences (SMS) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Akwasi Antwi-Kusi, the Dean of SMS, paid a visit to Archbishop Emeritus Prof. Peter Kwasi Sarpong.

The visit recognized Prof. Sarpong’s role in establishing the School of Medical Sciences and his contributions to the institution.

SMS's 50th anniversary, set to officially launch on April 3, 2025, will mark five decades of medical education.

During the visit, Prof. Antwi-Kusi reflected on the history of the institution and the key figures involved.

“While going through the history of the School of Medical Sciences, I realized you were a key player

You were the chairman of the university council and a member of the committee that established the School of Medical Sciences in the Ashanti Region,” Prof. Antwi-Kusi said.

According to the Dean, “Looking through the committee members, I realized most are deceased except for you

That is why we decided to visit and personally invite you to the 50th anniversary celebration.”

Archbishop Emeritus Prof. Sarpong shared the difficulties the committee encountered in securing approval for the school’s location in the Ashanti region.

“When we met with the President and the Minister of Higher Education in Accra, we had to provide strong reasons for why the school should be located here, despite opposition from those who argued there was already a medical school in Accra

We made it clear that we were not merely establishing a medical school but a School of Medical Sciences to serve the whole country,” Prof. Sarpong recalled.

Despite the obstacles, the committee's efforts succeeded, and SMS was established in the Ashanti region, becoming an important part of the country’s medical education system.

Prof. Sarpong thanked Prof. Antwi-Kusi for the visit, saying, “I thank you for remembering me and for inviting me to the official launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations.”

The official launch of the 50th-anniversary celebrations on April 3, 2025, will mark a key moment in honoring those who helped establish SMS and celebrating the school’s role in the nation’s medical education.