By Albert Allotey
Accra, March 28, GNA – Mr Labram Musah, the National Coordinator, Ghana NCD Alliance says the Network of Practice (NoP) initiative by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service presents a promising strategy for strengthening primary health care (PHC).
He noted however that there was limited clarity of integrating non-communicable disease (NCD) within its framework.
The NoP is aimed at enhancing service quality, improve the referral system, and establish selected health centres as “Model Health Centres (MoHC),” ultimately reducing unnecessary referrals to district hospitals and improving overall health outcomes.
It involves the creation of a network of health facilities within a defined geographical area, to provide a comprehensive health service.
Mr Musah made the remark at a stakeholders’ validation meeting in Accra on the position paper of the Ghana NCD Alliance on the integration of NCD services within the NoP framework.
He said given the growing burden of NCDs in Ghana, effective integration of NCD services within NoP structures was essential to ensuring accessible and sustainable care for individuals living with the diseases.
“As a result, the GhNCDA commission is a study which seeks to explore the connection between the NoP model, the PHC and NCDs through stakeholders’ engagement and development of a position paper with a focus on NCDs within the context of the NoP,” he stated
He said, “This is critical because in many cases, interventions at the PHC levels pay little or no attention to NCDs.”
He said NCDs was now accounting for a substantial proportion of morbidity and mortality in the country, and it was imperative that we strengthen PHC to effectively respond to this public health crisis.
Mr Musah said Ghana had made some good progress in strengthening its PHC system over the years, demonstrating a strong commitment to expanding healthcare access and achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“From the introduction of the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) strategy in 1999 to the implementation of the Community Scorecard in 2018, the country has prioritized community-level healthcare delivery,” he stated.
He said “Despite these efforts, persistent challenges such as inadequate skilled personnel, lack of essential medical equipment, limited availability of medicines, and poor infrastructure continue to hinder access to quality PHC services.
“As a result, many community members bypass lower-tier facilities, seeking care directly at district hospitals, thereby straining the referral system and overburdening higher-level health facilities.”
Mr Musah said the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service recognizing the challenges, introduced the NoP framework as a strategic approach to strengthening health service delivery at the sub-district level.
He said the initiative fostered structured collaboration among health facilities within defined geographic areas, enabling resource-sharing and optimizing service delivery without requiring major institutional restructuring.
“Under this model, health centres serve as hubs that facilitate the provision of comprehensive and equitable healthcare services, ensuring that essential PHC needs are met at the community level,” he emphasised.
Mr Musah said, “Our understanding is that the NoP is a specific arrangement between public and private health facilities that provide service delivery to the people in neighbouring communities – which means bringing healthcare closer to the people.
“This model is touted to be integral to achieving UHC at the primary care level.”
GNA
GRB