Policies will be developed by the Ministry of Health to strengthen procedures for the training, deployment, retention and reintegration of the country’s health workforce to meet both regional and global demands.
The policy aims to address the issue of migration of health workers in the country.
Announcing this, Industry Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu said the country would also secure the “financial and intellectual benefits” of sending medical professionals abroad through beneficial bilateral agreements.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of this year’s Annual Performance Review Conference of the Health, Agriculture, Relief and Development Services of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) in Accra.
The theme was “Jesus Christ, Alpha and Omega: Spreading the Gospel through Impactful Community Service.”
In attendance were the PCG’s incoming moderator, Pastor Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, and PCG general secretary, Pastor Godwin Nii Noyi Odonkor.
The Minister said that this policy was driven by the current population migration in the healthcare sector, a global issue that is creating challenges in the healthcare sector.
He said his organization is taking steps to improve the training, recruitment and retention of health care workers.
The Minister praised the role of the PCG in the country’s socio-economic development over the years, especially in the field of health care delivery.
Agyeman-Manu said the ministry is also working with stakeholders to provide well-trained health professionals who can provide prompt and efficient services to the public.
He said PCG’s medical facilities across the country have complemented the government’s efforts towards improving quality healthcare delivery.
He pledged that the government would continue to partner with the Church for the accelerated development of the country.
Outgoing Chair of the General Conference of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Dr. Joseph Obiri Eboah Mante, has said the church is willing to partner with the government to strengthen health delivery services in the country.
He expressed gratitude to the government for elevating Kom Presbyterian Clinic to a district hospital.
Pastor Mante also said that for 195 years, the church has been a Christ-centered, self-reliant, and growing church that has adopted a three-pronged approach to missionary work: preaching, education, and healing.
The moderator added that the Church also has an overall mission by working under three broad themes: spiritual, moral and social witness.
He said the Church had established about 60 health facilities, including specialized hospitals, across the West African subregion.
Award
The Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), Dr. Peter K. Yeboah, commended the Presbyterian Church for being the third largest health service provider in the country after the Ghana Health Service and the Roman Catholic Church.
Rebecca Teiko Saba, director of development and social services at PCG, said the four-day event, attended by administrators from 60 health institutions, six agricultural stations and church relief organizations, also reflected on the previous year. Ta. We carried out activities and indicated the future direction.
He said the review conference would also be used to adopt policy decisions aimed at introducing modernization in its activities, as well as to promote good agricultural and health practices in beneficiary communities. He said it will also be used to share decisions with policy makers.