Akosah urges effective collaboration between Assemblies

Kete Krachi (V/R), Jan. 25, GNA - Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) at the weekend called for effective collaboration between district directorates of health services and district assemblies towards enhanced health delivery. He urged the two institutions to dialogue towards providing the necessary infrastructure to attract health professionals into their areas to assist in improving on the health profile of their communities. Prof Akosa made the call when he interacted with health workers at Kete-Krachi as part of his duty tour of the Volta Region. He advised the districts to advertise these positions and vacancies in the media with mouth-watering attractions such as free and fully furnished accommodation, payment of all utility bills and other facilities including deprived area allowance to "serve as the pull and push factors".

Prof Akosa asked the people to inspire creativity and innovativeness to move healthcare delivery from the doldrums to a positive pedestal. The Kete-Krachi District Chief Executive, Mr Joseph Ntosu said the assembly had assisted in providing health infrastructure including several clinics, nurse's quarters and currently mechanising five boreholes to some health institutions in the district.

He said the Assembly was ready to sponsor students from the area to health institutions but pleaded with the GHS to lower the entry requirements to enable more students from deprived areas to enrol and come to serve their communities upon completion.

Mr Ntosu said the provision of potable water to guinea worm endemic communities was paying dividends, as the disease was being contained and hopefully eradicated from Osramani and Monkra areas by the end of the year.

He said the district would begin to register members of communities for the smooth take-off of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in June, this year, where it was expected that 60 percent of the people would become beneficiaries.