By Michael Foli Jackidy
Ho (V/R), Feb 27, GNA â The Ho Municipal Health Directorate has held its 2025 Annual Performance Review Meeting, calling for deeper collaboration to address persistent challenges in the health sector.
The meeting was held under the theme: âStrengthening Primary Health Care for Improved Quality Health Service Delivery: The Role of Stakeholders.â
Speaking on Wednesday, February 24, Madam Perfect Titiati, Ho Municipal Director of Health Services, said the review formed part of a bottom-up assessment process within the Ghana Health Service structure, where health facilities conduct internal reviews before consolidating findings at the municipal, regional and national levels.
She explained that the exercise provided an opportunity to reflect on achievements, identify gaps and develop strategies to enhance service delivery.
âPerformance reviews are internal reflections on our practice. We celebrate our successes and design strategies to address the challenges that confront us. However, many of these challenges are beyond our direct control and require the active involvement of stakeholders,â she said.
Madam Titiati noted that the health sector was operating under three key strategic objectives: achieving universal access to quality and efficient healthcare; reducing avoidable maternal, adolescent and child deaths and disabilities; and increasing access to responsive clinical and public health emergency services.
Although some performance indicators improved, she indicated that the year under review was marked by significant constraints, including irregular water supply to health facilities, insufficient funding for public health interventions, high infrastructure maintenance costs, and delays in reimbursements under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
She also cited shortages of essential non-medicine supplies from the Regional Medical Stores and inadequate staff accommodation in communities, which negatively affected staff retention and effective service delivery.
âEven where staff are willing to rent accommodation, decent facilities are not available. This discourages health workers from staying in deprived communities,â she stated, appealing to community leaders to support efforts to secure accommodation for health personnel.
Despite the challenges, the municipality recorded gains in several areas, including increased attendance at wellness clinics, improved uptake of the third and fourth doses of the malaria vaccine, and higher antenatal care attendance and skilled delivery rates.
However, family planning acceptor rates and immunisation coverage declined due to commodity shortages.
Madam Titiati further disclosed that the review featured a special presentation on psychological distress among health workers to address mental health concerns affecting staff.
Mr Stephen Adom, Ho Municipal Chief Executive, assured health workers of governmentâs commitment to improving health infrastructure in the municipality. He said several health facility projects were underway, with contractors given strict timelines for completion.
He pledged additional boreholes for health centres to address water challenges and announced plans to expand staff accommodation in selected communities.
âThis is not a time for talk. We are determined to deliver on our promises and improve healthcare infrastructure across the municipality,â he said.
Representing the Member of Parliament for Ho Central, Mr Edem Kpotosu, Mr Bruno Foli, Special Aide to the MP, commended health workers for their dedication and resilience despite resource constraints. He reaffirmed the MPâs commitment to supporting the health sector through infrastructure development, provision of equipment and organisation of medical outreaches.
âHealthcare is fundamental to national development. Quality healthcare must not be a privilege but a right for every resident,â he stated.
Mr Saviour Dela Amakpah, Ho Municipal Director of the NHIS, said the Scheme was working to ensure prompt reimbursement to accredited facilities. He noted that NHIS payments had improved significantly and encouraged facilities experiencing delays to engage the municipal office for resolution.
He announced that new tariffs, ranging between 120 and 180 per cent increments, would take effect from April 1 to support service providers.
Mr Amakpah cautioned against illegal charges within health facilities and urged providers to adhere strictly to NHIS guidelines.
He added that the Scheme was targeting the registration of 30 million Ghanaians by the end of the year to advance universal health coverage, noting that Ho Municipality currently had about 230,000 active members.
The review meeting brought together representatives from the Municipal Assembly, traditional authorities, private and public health institutions, NHIS officials and other stakeholders to assess performance and strategise for improved primary healthcare delivery in 2026.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu