It appears that many countries are pouring money into Ghana with the aim I believe of removing barriers to wellbeing i.e. poverty within our society.
It is well known that individual health depends on various factors: it can be affected by such issues as disability, unemployment, unstable family, low incomes and the state of Government etc. These issues immediately put certain groups of people at a disadvantage and at greater risk of social exclusion and poorer health.
There are the various NGO’s, NEPAD, and Poverty Reduction strategies in place and others all working towards the promotion of a healthy economy in order to address these issues.
However, are we as a nation investing into the community structures to allow local people to improve their own circumstances?
Is our Government providing affordable accessible opportunities for exercise and social contact?
Are we running an outreach programmes for specific communities for example programmes to address the water situation in the North, sanitation problems, drug users, abused women, abused children through rape and others?
We may find that drug users end up in psychiatric hospitals instead of rehabilitation units. Challenges to the medical approach to the treatment of patients instead of exploring the social model of treatment perhaps.
Is our system providing a wider range of other services in local health centres for example an effective way of using local resources mixing local treatment with conventional treatments? I not sure if many people are aware that banana skins is excellent for the treatment of verruca and warts but basically any skin fungi conditions. Powdered charcoal is used for all offensive wounds as dressing. Google these facts.
Is our Government providing easier access to information, local support services and advice centre to meet the needs of the local people? A challenge for us all how could we help?
Is our transport system for those who find it hard to access public transport? For example transport for the disabled-bodied citizens with ramp attached to bus or trains etc? A challenge for all how could we help?
Is our system creating the opportunity for the youths to resource advice and mentorship for new business start ups?
Finally are we as a nation leaving legacies of our exsistence in the world before we pass away into the next world ? may be leaving a will that our family should have a small funerals and build public toilets , libraries, community centres or schools in the memory of our names instead. This would ensure that our name never dies wihtin the community.
Also with the $547m and $34m from the U.S and U.K receive this year alone and others we hope that it more employment and vocational schools would be providered for our under achievers thus giving them a brighter hope for the future.
Perhaps investing more in research and development and following things through into maturity not half baked ideas.
Ghana needs to really work with this group of people as many have been denied the opportunity by our rigid system of education. This is a challenge to us all.
Could it be Ghana need to have an educational system for life long learning opportunities?
Would it be worth considering the economic wellbeing of the population
Or perhaps involving the community in safety issues, better housing, environmental and transport issues to increase the health and social well being?
Before any stragegy is implemneted it may need to be nurtured by the District councils, Community networks, Public agencies, The Paramount chiefs and local chiefs and major employers and the Local strategic co-ordinators
These are some prompts might help us to consider our future workforce capabilites . Ghanaians may need to seriously consider these issues we want to see Ghana classified as a developed country.
Every Ghanaian matters if we want to see a different version of Ghana for the next century.
Every Ghana must feel they belong and know how to make their voices heard through formal procedure. Thus this would hopefully make Ghana a country that treasures and substains a safe, healthy and attractive environment and also a healthy workforce for the future.
Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.
