It is a bit of a mouthful, but many of Dr Robert Bella Kuganab-Lem’s long-time colleagues and students at the University of Development Studies in Tamale have finally learnt to pronounce his name. A second observation that may be made about Dr Kuganab-Lem is his unusual if also noble preoccupation with seeing every Ghanaian in good health, but especially the poor. The key word for him as far any discussion of health delivery in Ghana is concerned, is “access.”
He constantly refers to the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions as the most “under-served” when it comes to access to health services. That is why when the initial announcement that the man had been nominated Deputy Upper East Regional Minister by the president, some thought there must have been a mistake. Most thought he should have been heading for the Ministry of Health and not a political administrator’s office.
On second thought, many now believe that with his vast knowledge in health research, management and education, the Upper East Region where access to health services is worse than problematic, will benefit immensely from his appointment as a political administrator in the region.
The new Upper East Regional Minister holds a Masters Degree in Health Professions Education from the Suez Canal University in Egypt. His master’s degree dissertation was quite an insightful one titled, “The market mix and rebuilding health systems in developing countries.”
He also holds an MSc in Health Services Planning and Management from the University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, where his dissertation focused on access and utilization of health services, health service management and the broad socio-cultural, political and economic context within which health care is delivered and financed in Ghana.
Between 2003-2007, he studied for a PhD in Health Planning and Management from the University of Keele in the UK on a Government of Ghana scholarship. His doctoral thesis was titled “An empirical analysis of the Ghana National Health Insurance Policy Process.”
Dr. Kuganab-Lem was born at the village of Pawlugu {pronounced “Kpalug” and different from the tomato-processing town of the same name near Bolgatanga}. He attended the Kpalugu Primary School from 1972 to1976 and the Manga Middle School at Bawku from 1976 to1980
He subsequently attended the Notre-Dame Secondary School 1980-1985 {“O”-Level} and the Wa Secondary School from 1985-1987, (“A” Level)
Between 1987 and 1996 Dr. Kuganab-Lem worked at the National Mobilization Programme, the Ministry of Health, the Kintampo Health Research Centre and the Tamale Nursing Training College, where he taught psychology.
He served as 2000-2003- Lecturer (Head, Department of Community Health / Allied Health Sciences) University for Development Studies, Tamale, from 2000 to 2003 when he left for doctoral studies abroad. On his return, he was appointed Head of the Department of Community and Allied Health at UDS. He had at the time of his nomination By President Mahama for a ministerial portfolio, been teaching the ethics and law of Health Care, Health Economics, Health Services Planning and Management and Health Systems Research.
Dr Kuganab-Lem has authored and co-authored more than 14 highly acclaimed publications including his 2009 book, National Health Insurance Organization in an Emerging Democracy { Lambert Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG and licensors}. In the book, he argues that the principles of equity of access to health care of “individual citizens in need”, are internal in all health systems and that today, most developing economies are therefore preoccupied with reforming their health policies to achieve this, particularly through National Health Insurance schemes.
In the case of Ghana, he notes, the country embarked upon a fee for service and cost recovery system at the behest of the IMF. This system he argues, has rather “perpetuated inequities and inequalities in health care access and outcomes in Ghana.”
Not long ago, he led a study which confirmed that a well-functioning health system is imperative in the provision of quality maternal care to reduce the high levels of maternal mortality plaguing Ghana.
The study sought to assess the quality of maternal health care delivery in the Tamale metropolis. The key findings were that there was general client dissatisfaction with health facilities in the metropolis. The respondents complained bitterly of long waiting time, dirty environments, unfriendly hospital staff attitudes and the lack of very critical and important materials such as emergency drugs and blood were in short supply.
The study concluded that since the situation in the Tamale was virtually the same in many communities nationwide, it would be difficult to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Ghana on schedule.
His profession as a health scientist notwithstanding, Dr Kuganab-Lem demonstrated his broad view of the development challenges facing the region beyond issues of access to health when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament recently: He responded commendably to questions on strategies for reducing poverty in the Upper East Region, the proliferation of illegal small arms, the maintenance of peace and security and the future of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority.
He also demonstrated that he would be more than up to task awaiting him when he answered questions on the proposed one-time premium under the National Health Insurance Scheme, strategies for reducing maternal mortality in the region, the functions of the Regional Security Council and the administration of District Assemblies in the region.
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