Government procuring more cars for doctors - Minister

Accra (Greater Accra), 24th June 99 -

The ministry of health is procuring more vehicles for distribution to doctors and other health professionals in the districts, especially those in the deprived areas, Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor, the sector minister, told parliament on Wednesday.

He said out of 100 vehicles bought by the government for the health sector in 1997, 50 were allocated to the Ghana Medical Association for distribution to its members. The ministry distributed the remaining 50 through the various professional health associations.

Mr Nuamah Donkor who was answering questions in the house during "Question Time", explained that the criteria used in the distribution of the vehicles included the number of years of service, non-beneficiaries of car loans and service in deprived areas.

Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, NPP-Asante Akyem North, wanted to know the criteria used by the ministry in the distribution of vehicles to medical personnel in the country, and when doctors in his constituency would benefit from the exercise.

The Minister assured the member that doctors in Asante Akyem North and their colleagues in other districts "will benefit from the package in due course".

Mr Nuamah Donkor told the house that to operationalise the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Act 1996, Act 532, the essence of which is to ensure that only iodated salt is marketed locally, the Food and Drugs Board was inaugurated in 1997.

He said the ministry, working with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), had brought into Ghana machines for the iodation of salt.

The ministry, he said, had charged the Ghana Standards Board and the Food and Drugs Board to set up a technical committee to devise strategies to flood the market with iodated salt.

The minister said measures have also been taken to prevent exporters from diverting the non-iodated salt meant for export, into the local market.

He was reacting to a question on what measures the ministry has taken to ensure effective implementation of the provisions of the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Act, 1996, Act 532.

Mr Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu, NPP-Yendi, asked the minister whether he is aware that the Yendi hospital rehabilitation project is more than two years behind schedule, and that the scope of work in certain areas has been reduced?

Mr Nuamah Donkor said the ministry was aware of the delay and attributed this to design and engineering studies as well as changes made by end-users, which were not originally within the scope of the work, leading to cost overruns, among other factors.

He, however, disagreed with the questioner that there had been reduction in the scope of work in certain areas of the project.

The Minister explained that due to the cost overruns resulting from changes in the original design to meet demands of end-users, certain parts of the project had to be phased out to enable civil works to be carried out.

He assured Mr Yakubu that the ministry has not abandoned the modern hostel project for the hospital.

"We consider the Yendi hospital as an important health facility which we intend to use among others, for teaching purposes for the Medical School of the University for Development Studies in Tamale."

He said the ministry would also sponsor the training of personnel in hospital, and financial and equipment management to enhance services at the hospital.