GIZ Pandemic Management initiative impacts over one million Ghanaians, boosts community health

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in partnership with nine private sector organisations, has reached 875,336 Ghanaians through its "Pandemic Management in Catchment Communities in Times of COVID-19 and Beyond" module.

An additional 275,747 people benefited from the "Comprehensive Pandemic Management for Employees, Families, and Communities" module.

These two interventions, spanning seven regions across Ghana, aimed to equip participants with vital knowledge and skills to manage the impacts of pandemics in their professional, personal, and family lives.

Dr. Holger Till, Team Lead for the develoPPP Ghana project at GIZ, emphasised that the program focused on enhancing the well-being of employees, their families, and communities.

He noted that the initiative included health screenings for conditions like hypertension, diabetes, stroke, cardiac issues, as well as cervical and breast cancer.

"One of the key highlights has been the impressive reach. More than one million people have been impacted in the last three years, with noticeable improvements in their health outcomes," he said.

Dr. Till credited the program's success to the collaboration between private and public sectors, civil society, and development partners.

Professor Julius Fobil, Director of the Africa Centre for Geo-Health at the University of Ghana, highlighted the empowerment of community members with practical knowledge in hygiene, symptom recognition, and effective response actions.

"The partnership we've established will remain essential for sustained resilience. Our shared responsibility is to build on this foundation, working together across sectors to ensure ongoing preparedness and support for everyone," he added.

Beneficiaries present at the event, held on Thursday, November 7, shared their positive experiences.

Ms. Agnes Amponsah, a beneficiary from Golden Exotics, expressed her gratitude, stating that the program had provided her and other women with valuable financial literacy skills.

Ms. Jennifer Abena Yawson, a health practitioner from Obuasi, shared that the training had significantly enhanced her understanding of cervical cancer and other diseases, improving her ability to educate and care for her community.

The two projects were funded through the develoPPP program on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in collaboration with nine private partners.

The private partners include; Golden Exotics, Blue Skies, Appointed Time Printing, Kasapreko, Coca Cola, Golden Star Resources, Asanko Gold, Anglogold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Anglogold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine.

PRH/MA