The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has presented 200 laptops to the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) under the Government’s One Million Coders Programme (OMCP) to support digital skills training among students.
The laptops were handed over on Friday, October 16, 2026, as part of efforts to equip students with technology skills that complement their professional training and prepare them for the growing application of digital tools in healthcare.
Speaking at the presentation, Mr George said emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, telemedicine and robotics were increasingly shaping healthcare delivery, making digital skills essential for future health professionals.
“The medical field is changing very fast. Telemedicine is a big part of the world today, where you have doctors sitting in John Hopkins and carrying out surgery 7,000 miles across the ocean using robotic arms,” he said.
He explained that the One Million Coders Programme provides specialised, industry-aligned training in AI, programming, data analytics and other emerging technologies to complement conventional academic education and improve graduates’ readiness for the workplace.
Mr George commended UHAS for its plans to incorporate selected learning pathways under the programme into student development activities and urged the University to ensure that students acquire relevant digital competencies before graduation.
He described the 200 Lenovo laptops as an initial allocation and said additional devices could be considered based on student enrolment, usage and demonstrated demand. He urged the University to maximise the use of the equipment and encourage more students to participate in the programme.
The laptops are equipped with Intel Core i5 processors, 16GB RAM, 512GB solid-state drive storage and Windows 11 operating systems. Fifty devices had already been configured and deployed in preparation for training, while UHAS had identified a 160-seater facility to support programme delivery.
The Minister also pledged to engage the National Communications Authority (NCA), the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) and telecommunications operators to explore ways of improving internet connectivity on campus through additional cell sites and fibre-optic infrastructure.
Welcoming the Minister and his delegation, UHAS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Lydia Aziato expressed appreciation for the support and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to Ghana’s digital development agenda.
She said suitable spaces had been identified across the University’s various schools to accommodate the equipment and facilitate student participation.
Prof. Aziato added that selected OMCP learning pathways would complement professional health sciences training and help students develop competencies in digital literacy, data analytics and emerging technologies.
The presentation builds on UHAS’s growing interest in digital healthcare, following its recent hosting of an international conference on artificial intelligence in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
The One Million Coders Programme is a government initiative designed to equip Ghanaians with in-demand technology skills to improve employment opportunities, promote entrepreneurship and expand participation in the digital economy. At UHAS, the laptops are expected to support access to relevant training and help students develop skills applicable to the changing healthcare sector.
