The Professional Association of Disease Control Officers - Ghana (PADCOG) is the professional association representing Disease Control Officers in Ghana. It promotes professional standards, coordination, advocacy, and structured development of the discipline

No. PADCOG is not a regulatory body. Regulation of Disease Control Officers is undertaken by the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC). PADCOG operates within the regulatory framework to support its members professionally.

No. PADCOG is a professional association, not a labour union. Its mandate is professional development, coordination, representation, and advancement of the discipline. However, as the recognized professional body for Disease Control Officers, its position may inform organized labour structures when matters affecting the profession arise.

Membership is opened to:
a) Qualified Disease Control Officers
b) Interns and trainees within the discipline
c) Retired professionals (where applicable)
Applicants must meet the relevant professional and regulatory requirements.

Ghana upholds the constitutional right to freedom of association. Membership in PADCOG is therefore not compulsory. However, professional registration with the Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) is mandatory for practice. Under the current regulatory framework, professionals are required to obtain four (4) mandatory CPD points from their respective profession-specific association in order to renew their PIN. Alignment with one’s recognized professional association therefore supports regulatory compliance and professional advancement.

No. Membership in PADCOG does not nullify membership in any other association. PADCOG exists specifically as the professional body dedicated to Disease Control Officers.

No. PADCOG is not a breakaway association. It emerged as part of the natural professional evolution following regulatory restructuring and clearer differentiation within the Allied Health sector. As disciplines become formally recognized, it is appropriate for each profession to organize around its own professional association. Until PADCOG, Disease Control Profession was the only profession under Allied Health Professions Council without profession specific association

Mandatory CPD requirements for license renewal are aligned with one’s respective profession-specific association under the regulatory framework. Going forward, PADCOG intends to coordinate and facilitate CPD-related professional activities in accordance with regulatory standards to support members in maintaining compliance and enhancing professional competence.

No. PADCOG does not yet have a substantive elected executive body. The Association is currently guided by interim leaders during its formation stage. The interim leaders were selected through consultation among founding members to guide the Association during its establishment phase.

Their mandate is transitional and administrative, including:
a) Coordinating registration and membership mobilization
b) Facilitating drafting of the Constitution
c) Organizing foundational structures
d) Preparing for democratic elections

At the national level, leadership coordination is drawn from representatives across the regions and Headquarters, including officers from the Disease Surveillance Department (DSD) and the Disease Control Department (DCD). This ensures balanced representation and technical alignment. At the regional level, due to the dual technical structure of Disease Surveillance and Disease Control, Regional Dis ease Control Officers (RDCOs) and Regional Surveillance Officers (RSOs) are facilitating mobilization and coordination in interim capacities pending formal elections.

No. Interim leaders are not receiving or managing membership dues.

Founding members who are committed to establishing a unified professional body are voluntarily contributing per sonal time and resources to support the formation process.

As the Association becomes formally structured and elected executives are in place, a transparent dues framework will be proposed to the general membership for discussion and approval. It is standard practice for professional associations to operate on structured contributions to support administration, professional development, and statutory obligations in accordance with applicable laws, including NRCD 147. Any dues structure will be subject to collective approval.

Members are encouraged to: a) Participate constructively in formation activities b) Contribute ideas toward constitutional development c) Support unity within the profession

Yes. Engagement meetings involving Disease Control Officers are being planned. Details will be communicated through appropriate channels.

To build a unified, competent, ethically grounded, and highly respected Disease Control profession that contributes effectively to national public health security.

PADCOG does not currently operate from a dedicated physical office. For correspondence purposes only, the Association is temporarily using the following contact address: PADCOG Secretariat (Temporary Correspondence Address)
C/O Disease Control Department
P. O. Box KB 493
Korle Bu, Accra
Ghana, West Africa
Email: ghasdco@gmail.com
The use of this address is strictly for communication and administrative convenience during the formation stage. Es tablishment of a permanent office structure will be considered as part of the Association’s long-term institutional de velopment plans, subject to formal governance and resource arrangements.