Koforidua, Sept 27, GNA- The Ministry of Health will run mission hospitals by paying both salary and wages as well as any other costs as from next year.
Mr Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, Minister of Health, said this when speaking at the 40th anniversary celebration of the St Joseph's Hospital and Orthopaedic Centre at Effiduase, near Koforidua on Saturday.
He said the missions would be required to agree on a level of performance based on specified responsibilities against agreed funding level by the state on block contract basis renewable annually.
This does not mean the government would take over the mission hospitals but rather the Ministry of Health would depend on the mission hospitals to use their expertise to improve health delivery.
The Minister commended the Catholic Church for its pioneering role in the health sector, saying it covered about 30 per cent of the health needs of the population.
Mr Nuamah-Donkor commended the hospital, established by the Hospitaller Order of St John of God based in Spain, for its specialist orthopaedic services to not only Ghanaians but also for the West Africa sub-region for which its medical superintendent, Dr Juan Casals was awarded the order of the Volta, last year.
The minister said the hospital would be given some of the orthopaedic implants being imported for the Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals to enhance its services.
He appealed to Dr Casals to train doctors to increase the number of orthopaedic specialists in Ghana through attachments. Mr Nuamah Donkor, who noted the lack of effective co-ordination, resources and planning as one of the problems affecting efficient health delivery, spoke of "an ambitious reform programme which had been launched" to ensure access to high quality basic health services for Ghanaians.
He said a partnership is being forged between public and private sectors, especially the mission hospitals, aimed at harnessing available resources to make an impact on health delivery throughout the country.
The Superior/Administrator of the Hospital, the Rev Brother Jose Ma Viadero, recounted the history of the hospital, saying its original objective was to provide orthopaedic care for crippled children.
He said the hospital, which now has four wards of 150 beds and managed by four doctors, handles general medical cases including a mobile clinic to serve five communities in the East Akim district.
Rev Bro Viadero said a new modern hospital is to be constructed soon to meet the ever-increasing demand for services and appealed to philanthropic organisations and individuals to assist in realising the venture. He commended the government and foreign donors for providing the hospital with financial and material assistance as well as medical personnel and appealed for more doctors and orthopaedic nurses.
Awards were presented to nine long-serving staff members, including two retired workers, who had served between 10 and 35 years. About 2.6 million cedis was realised from an appeal for funds.
