By Naa Shormei Odonkor
Koforidua, April 5, GNA – The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Eastern Region, has held its 2022 Annual Performance Review conference in Koforidua.
It was to measure the achievements of the region against the set targets defined under the strategic objective of the Health Sector Medium Term Development Plan and Programme.
The two-day conference for 2022 was themed; “Strengthening the Health System to Achieve Universal Health Coverage – Role of Stakeholders”.
In attendance were the Eastern Regional Parent from GHS, the Eastern Regional Minister, the GHS Council, representatives from the World Health Organization and all District/Municipal Directors of Health among others.
Mrs. Araba Kudiabor, the Director for the Supplies Stores and Drugs Management of the GHS who represented the Director General of GHS, said the Service would soon launch a Digital Health Strategy.
“We are open to new and innovative ideas that will move us forward as a Service that seeks to leverage technology to solve problems and make life easier for staff and clients”, she noted.
She said to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, there was a need to improve quality and provide more patient-centred care in the country.
As a result, she said collaboration with partners towards redesigning the Primary Health Care system was deepened by introducing a Network of Practice approach with the Model Health Centre as the fulcrum.
Despite various attempts made to bridge the gaps in the health sector, Mrs. Kudiabor, noted, “We are losing our skilled staff as they leave for greener pasture”.
She said the situation was worsened by the poor uptake of postings to less endowed areas in the country.
Dr. Winfred Ofosu, the Eastern Regional Director of the GHS, said last year as the country was faced with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the region recorded cases of Monkey Pox infections and Influenza A (H3N2).
“We remain vulnerable to infectious and communicable diseases. It is therefore imperative to ensure a resilient health system that enables early detection and containment of infectious diseases that may find their way into the population of the region”, he stated.
As the region battles with infectious and communicable diseases, Dr. Ofosu, noted the rise in cases of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers and others.
He said the NCDs were killing both the young and old, adding that the causes of the diseases were still not well understood by the health directorate.
Although Wellness Clinics have been set up in various health facilities in the region, Dr. Ofosu indicated that public utilization of the Wellness Clinics was below expectations.
He again noted, “Some Neglected Tropical Diseases including buruli, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, ulcer and yaws are endemic in some of our districts”.
Victims of the aforementioned conditions, Dr. Ofosu, indicated were poor, located in hard-to-reach communities and were left disfigured, disabled and stigmatized.
Therefore, Mr. Seth K. Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister said there was a need to strengthen primary health care to make great strides towards achieving UHC.
He said the goal to attain UHC was to deliver good quality health service to all the people who needed it no matter where they were and at affordable cost.
GNA