By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, Aug 26, GNA – The Bimbilla District Hospital in the Nanumba North Municipality of the Northern Region has been adjudged the Best Performing Secondary Level Hospital in the region in the maiden Ghana Health Service (GHS) Excellence Awards’ 2022.
The Nanton Health Centre in the Nanton District emerged the Best Performing Health Centre in the region whilst Nakpali Borele CHPS in the Tatali-Sangule District emerged Best Performing CHPS in the region and the Kumbungu District Health Directorate was adjuged the Best Performing District Health Directorate in the region.
Halimatu Sadia Alidu, Midwifery Officer at Wulensi RCH in the Nanumba South District, Hawawu Mahama, Principal Midwifery Officer at Bincheratanga Health Centre in the Nanumba North Municipality, and Michael Kwame Asamoah, Senior Staff Nurse at Kpandai District Hospital were adjudged Most Outstanding Staff at CHPS, Health Centre and Secondary Level Hospital in that order in the region.
Kpankpari Roggers Bachege, Nutrition Officer at Sagnarigu Municipal Health Directorate, Dr Adam Barhama, Medical Superintendent at Bimbilla Hospital, and Boye Yakubu Etowi, Deputy Chief Biostatistician at Northern Regional Health Directorate were also adjudged the Most Outstanding Staff at District Health Directorate, Secondary Level Hospital and Regional Health Directorate in that order in the region.
Iddrisu Musah Naporow, Senior Enrolled Nurse, Juanayili CHPS, Neindow Edmund Naporow, Deputy Chief Physician Assistant, St Joseph’s Clinic and Maternity Home, Dr Mohammed Tayib Rahman, Principal Medical Officer, Wulensi Health Centre, and Atta Timothy, Disease Control Officer at Kpandai DHMT received Leadership Excellence Awards for CHPS, Health Centre, Primary Level Hospital, and District Health Directorate in that order in the region.
They received the awards, which were citations, at a ceremony in Tamale.
The GHS, in its quest to improve its performance and accelerate progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage, which is key to realising its vision, instituted an Awards Scheme for its staff and institutions.
Madam Araba Kudiabor, Director of Supplies, GHS and Chairperson of the GHS Excellence Awards, who gave details of the Awards Scheme during the ceremony, said the Awards Scheme, which was launched in December, last year, sought to motivate, recognise, acknowledge and reward individual health workers for their exceptional contributions, achievements and performance in health care delivery at the various service levels.
Madam Kudiabor added that it was intended to recognise and appreciate health institutions in GHS that had made outstanding achievements over the previous years.
She said, “The goal is to build a sense of national pride, patriotism and professionalism in our public-sector health workers and urge them to give their best to help improve and sustain the quality of health care delivery and the health outcome of the good citizens of our country.”
She added that “The Awards Scheme also forms part of the Service’s larger rebranding initiative to raise awareness of the contribution of health workers to improving health outcomes and the socio-economic development of the country.”
She said it had been designed to be competitive, starting at the district level and moving up to the regional and climaxing at the national level.
Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, Northern Regional Director of Health, whose speech was read on his behalf, urged health staff “To work hand in hand with our stakeholders to build a health system that is not just strong but exemplary.”
Meanwhile, front line health workers in the region, who were nominated for the National Awards for their roles in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but could not attend the National Awards ceremony in Accra to receive their awards because of the high number of the awardees, were also presented with their awards during the ceremony.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister, said “The past few years have been quite challenging for health care and health systems throughout the globe, but it is significant to note that health care workers have gone beyond these challenges to provide good care to our people.”
Alhaji Saibu commended health care workers for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to duty, saying “Your tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed, and we are proud to honour you for your outstanding contributions to the health and well-being of our communities.”
GNA