Yamfo Health Center launches ‘Network of Practice’

By Dennis Peprah
 
Yamfo, (A/R), Nov. 02, GNA – The Yamfo Health Center in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, has launched a “Network of Practice” (NoP) to build and deepen collaborations between health facilities, ambulance service and chemical shops, for improved health outcomes in the area. 
 
This would strengthen primary healthcare and thereby provide immediate, efficient and quality healthcare, ambulance and other essential services to the rural population. 
 
Mr Eva Aryee, the Tano North Municipal Director of Health explained that the NoP, was an initiative of the government being implemented by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) with support from the World Bank. 
 
She said the government had also supplied five brand new motorbikes for the health personnel to undertake outreaches and provide the health needs of the rural folks. 

With the launch, the existing linkages between health facilities, including Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds, pharmaceutical outlets, and over-the-counter pharmacy shops would be strengthened to improve health outcomes in the area. 
 
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side-lines of the inauguration ceremony held at Yamfo, a mining community in the Municipality, Mrs Aryee said the government had also posted more health personnel to the area too. 
She said with the implementation of the NoP, the motorbikes and the increased health personnel, health service delivery in the area would be improved and better the lives of the  

people. 
 
Mrs Aryee lauded the implementation of the NoP, and commended the government and the World Bank, and urged the health workers to work hard to help strengthen the NoP for the people to access quality health and improve on their health status. 
 
“The NoP implementation is very dear to the heart of the government, the GHS and the World Bank and we expect every health worker to contribute to its success,” she stated. 

Mr Christian Osei Bonsu, the Ahafo Regional Resource Manager of the Ghana Health Service also told the GNA that the challenge of limited health personnel had been addressed in the region. 
 
He said the various public health facilities in the region now had more personnel and expressed the hope that with the support of the health personnel and the people, the NoP implementation would derive the optimum benefit. 
 
Dr Solomon Owiredu Boateng, the Medical Superintendent at the Yamfo Health Center described the NOP as a “special purpose vehicle” for the GHS to improve the nation’s health outcomes. 
 
He advised the people in the area to avoid self-medication and endeavour to visit the Center and nearest health facilities when they fell sick, assuring that with the implementation of the NoP, prompt and quality healthcare services would be available to them. 

Dr Emmanuel Agyei-Darko, the Medical Superintendent of the Bomaa Government Hospital serving as the referral facility for the NOP implementation, said effective collaboration between the various health facilities, ambulance service, and chemicals shops was required to promote quality healthcare delivery and improved health outcomes.

GNA