Government working to employ private nurses - Minister

Mr Alexander K. K. Abban, Deputy Minister of Health said government has activated a programme to offer employment to all qualified nurses from private institutions who completed between 2012 to 2016.

He said an electronic platform had been launched to facilitate that from July 01, 2019.

Mr Abban said this at the first Volta Regional Town Hall meeting organized by the Ministry of Information under the auspices of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC).

He said financial clearance for 54,892 nurses, who graduated had been done from 2017, many of whom were from public nursing training institutions.

The Deputy Minister said "It is true government has restored Nurses Training Allowance," and that a total of 57,000 trainees were beneficiaries, attracting GH¢20.4 million a month.

Mr Abban, also Member of Parliament for Gomoa East said government remained committed to the health sector with a total of GH¢ 201.8 million paid for the 2017/2018 academic year.

He added that the first seven months of the 2018/2019 academic year had been honoured and that GH¢ 57.8 million warrant had also been released to clear the remaining months.

The Deputy Minister said MOH was undertaking supply-chain reforms to improve health commodity management in the sector including logistic management information systems to ensure data visibility; last-mile distribution of health commodities; framework contracting and warehousing.

On Malaria, he said over 15.5 million long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLITN) were distributed for population at risk through mass campaign in 2018.

Mr Abban said the National Health Insurance Authority was embarking on a strategy to attain financial access and efficiency to position the Scheme to increase service tariffs by 20 per cent, this year, stating the new tariff regime came into effect in April, 2019.

He said by close of June, 2019, sub district facilities and below would have been paid to enhance achievement of Universal Health Coverage.

Mr Abban said an amount of GH¢ 1.03 billion had been paid with an accruing debt of GH¢ 1.2 04 billion and outstanding debt of GH¢ 200 million.

On health infrastructure, the Deputy Minister said Tamale Teaching Hospital was undergoing major rehabilitation works in addition to the completion of works on five district hospitals it inherited, namely, Weta, Sawla, Somanya, Buipe and Bamboi.

He said works were continuing in five polyclinics under Ghana Eight Hospital Project, in Shai Osudoku, Dodowa, Abetifi, Kumasi, Takoradi, Sekondi, Garu and Fomena, which are at various levels of completion.

Mr Abban said MOH was working to ensure timely access to high quality healthcare irrespective of ability to pay at a point in fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal three.