The Agency launched its first senior management meeting for the year 2023 in Kumasi with the theme: Strengthening Primary Health Care approaches towards achieving universal health coverage.
The three-day meeting was attended by senior officials from the GHS Council, the 16 regional health directors, international partners, retired but active GHS directors, a representative of the Regional Minister for the Ashanti Region, the Minister of Health and Sir Baffour Dr. Ossei Hyeaman Brantuo VI, Otumfour Mawerehene who gave the keynote address.
In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Honorable Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, called on senior executives to show more empathy when making decisions that may affect the healthcare of the average Ghanaian. He expressed gratitude for their efforts on behalf of the country and urged them to continue.
In his welcome speech, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the Service, provided an update on the performance of the Service from the most recent meeting of senior managers and recognized outstanding Directorates and regions.
Dr. Ossei Hyeaman Brantuo VI, challenged the nation to learn how to make medicines and drugs ourselves and be creative despite the difficulties facing the health sector, in his keynote presentation.
Start of African Immunization Week 2023
African Immunization Week was launched during the meeting on ‘The big catch-up’. The launch was one of the highlights of the events associated with the ongoing first Senior Directors Meeting in Kumasi.
Dr Francis Kasolo, WHO country representative, reminded those gathered that as we observe this year’s African Immunization Week, we must work together to ensure that no child is left behind. This requires funding strong immunization systems, increasing vaccination coverage and making vaccines available to all who need them.
The Chairperson of the launch, Nana Boakye Yam Ababio, Nkwantakese Hene, urged all districts and districts to continue to embrace this initiative and be innovative in raising awareness of the safe and effective services available for children under five .
In his keynote address, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said everyone is interested in child health interventions, including vaccination. To reach all eligible children, he believed that the government’s efforts should be supplemented. On behalf of health professionals, she pledged to continue advocating for laws and initiatives that will improve maternal and child health in Ghana.
African Immunization Week/Child Health Promotion Week started on 24 April 2023.
Launch of GHS Digital Health Plan
The digital health policy and plan were also presented at the Senior Managers Meeting. A new perspective was presented on policy and strategy to create a broad framework for coordinating digital health activities in the Ghana Health Service. Additionally, it offers a platform to ensure that information can be shared and exchanged between the many applications used in the Service.
The General Director, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, presented the policy book before all senior executives from across the nation together with GHS board chairman, Dr. Sefah Sarpong Bediako, the WHO country representative, Dr. Francis Kaloso, FDA CEO Ms. Mimi Darko, GHS PPME Division Director, Dr. Alberta Biritum-Nyarko, and the Agency’s Head of IT, Mr. Hammond Sarkwah.
Media briefing on highlights of the first SMM in 2023
The meeting of the first Senior Managers’ Meeting was concluded with a media briefing. Media engagement highlighted issues such as: Increase in births in health facilities over the last 5 years, stillbirths (children born dead) decreased, increase in antenatal services. There was also the issue of increasing malaria care with malaria deaths falling and surveillance systems improving over the years. Health communication is also used to convey health risk.
Some of the challenges faced by the Service, despite the successes that have been achieved, are some employees refusing postings to disadvantaged areas. The Service has asked the stakeholders through the media to support the personnel who are willing to take up such postings in deprived areas, support them and facilitate their life in the community.
The media raised questions about fake drugs and the new breed of malaria mosquito, the decline in communication about HIV in the media, and the co-payment practiced by some facilities for services covered by the NHIS.
The Director General stressed that the leadership frowns on patients being billed for services covered by the NHIS and asked the media to report that facilities receive money for services covered by the NHIS.
Senior executives discussed and developed policy decisions and best practices that will help improve healthcare in Ghana before the meeting closed.
SOURCE: Public Relations Unit, GHS