Give health sector attention – WHO

The Country Representative for the World Health Organisation in Ghana, Dr Owen L. Kaluwa, has entreated the government to plug the loopholes in the health sector that are posing challenges to the progress in attaining the millennium development goal of universal healthcare.

Even though he acknowledged that Ghana was doing better than some African countries, he charged the authorities to strengthen the various sections of the health sector.

He said Ghana needs to tackle human resource challenges across the country.

Furthermore, he admonished the government to continue “to strengthen the National Health Insurance Scheme so that we ensure that even those people who are not able to afford health services are not pushed”.

Dr Kaluwa was speaking on the sidelines of a news conference to launch a report by the School of Public Health of the University of Ghana on the state of Ghana's health sector.

The report shows a consistent rise in caesarian section deliveries among women over the years, which exceeds the recommended five per cent by the WHO.

The report highlighted some challenges in the sector and called on the government to act to improve healthcare delivery in the country.