Staff of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have been urged to uphold the values of integrity, compassion and excellence in the discharge of their duties, as the Service held its Staff Durbar and Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at its Headquarters in Accra.
The event, which formed part of GHS’s end-of-year activities, brought together about 600 staff from the Service’s 12 divisions, alongside management and invited guests. It also served as a platform to honour hardworking staff across the various divisions for their dedication and commitment to duty.
Delivering the homily, Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell described Christmas as a time for peace—within families, among colleagues and within individuals. He encouraged staff to cultivate inner peace and maintain a strong relationship with God as a foundation for effective and selfless service.
Rev. Fr. Campbell further urged staff to extend generosity to others, particularly the less privileged, noting that compassion and concern for others foster personal fulfilment and social harmony. He cautioned against hypocrisy and dishonesty and encouraged staff to live by integrity and a clear conscience.
Drawing lessons from the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, he highlighted the importance of family life and urged staff to spend quality time with their loved ones. He concluded by calling on staff to remain people of “clean hands and a right conscience.”
Chairman of the GHS Council, Prof. Fred Newton Binka, noted that the Staff Durbar provided an opportunity to reflect on the Service’s work over the years. He disclosed that the Council has been engaging stakeholders nationwide to gather inputs for the development of the GHS Strategic Plan.
Prof. Binka acknowledged the challenging conditions under which many health workers operate across the country and commended staff for sustaining service delivery despite limited resources. He encouraged workers to continue their diligent efforts and to place compassion at the centre of healthcare delivery.
In a warm and convivial atmosphere, the Director-General of GHS, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, expressed appreciation to staff for their dedication, particularly those recognised for outstanding contributions across the divisions.
He acknowledged government interventions, including presidential support during periods of dwindling international health financing, and recalled the multiple disease outbreaks the country experienced during the year. Dr. Akoriyea assured staff that key health policies would proceed as planned, including the implementation of the Free Primary Healthcare Policy, alongside other ongoing initiatives.
The Director-General also outlined measures under consideration to improve service delivery and staff welfare. These include the introduction of 24-hour services, improved transport arrangements for Headquarters staff, and a proposed Medicare support arrangement to enable HQ staff access designated health facilities with expedited service delivery. He also provided updates on staff promotions.
As part of the programme, Dr. Akoriyea presented a token to Rev. Fr. Andrew Campbell on behalf of the Ghana Health Service in support of his charitable work.
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