By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has announced the rolling out of a ‘Model Health Centre Network of Practice’ concept by the government as one of the key strategic interventions toward achieving the Universal Health Coverage by the 2030 target date.
The ‘Model Health Centers’ to be located in selected communities across the country will provide 24-hour easily accessible and affordable healthcare services to healthcare seekers particularly in rural communities to reduce the incidence of maternal and child mortality and morbidity.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye, who disclosed this, directed that all the 16 Regional Health Directorates in Ghana be activated.
He was speaking at the official inauguration and handing over of a new Health Centre for the Modaso Community in the Upper Denkyira West district in the Central region.
The Modaso Health Centre in the Upper Denkyira West district of the Central region was initially designed as a CHPS Compound, but World Vision, an international Christian Charity intervened upon a request to have it expanded.
Construction of the Modaso Health Centre began in November 2019 with the financial support of a German couple, Hans Jurgen and Andrea Inden at a total cost of more than ₵ .The well-equipped Health Centre has a Consulting Room, Detention Rooms, a Waiting Area, AnteNatal and Delivery Rooms.
Also attached are 3- Apartments for staff.
Until now, residents at Modaso and the adjoining Communities sought healthcare at the District capital of Diaso and Bibiani in the Western North region. The 1st batch of permanent staff led by a Senior Staff Nurse was formally introduced to the Community.
The Upper Denkyira West District Chief Executive, Yaw Agyemang Asiedu thanked World Vision for providing the healthcare facility and disclosed that the district would begin the construction of its share of Agenda 111 in 2022.
The Senior Director of Operations, World Vision, West Africa, Jean-Claude Mukadi, noted that even though the Sahara sub-region has made gains in the fight, mortality rates in the last 20 years, the issue of maternal and infant deaths are high.
The National Director of World Vision, Ghana, Dickens Thunde, disclosed that a recent survey in Ghana revealed that 1 out of every 24 children in the country died before age 1, while 310 out of every 1 thousand women died during childbirth. It is for this and other health concerns that World Vision Ghana would continue to partner the government to advance the health of the people.
Mr. Thunde disclosed that over the years, World Vision had been working with the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and other partners to reach out to thousands of mothers and children with medical supplies. These include “the construction of health facilities, donation of medical and non-medical equipment, Protective Equipment, pharmaceuticals and others, such as anti-malarial drugs, multivitamins and folic acid to health facilities in remote areas.
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, announced that the Ghana Health Service is implementing a ‘Model Health Centre’ Network of Practice concept to provide primary healthcare at affordable cost to healthcare seekers in rural areas.
“The network of practice is that we’re trying to ring 1 unit of the system. You may have a Health Centre here that can treat relatively higher conditions. You have schools, then clinics. You have market clinics. They must all work toward 1 unit and must ensure that whatever you start, you end up at this place and get care and that this facility must operate 24 hours,” he explained.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye asked all the 16 Regional Health Directorates nationwide to adopt and activate the ‘Health Centre Network of Practice Model’ concept, towards guaranteeing unhindered and affordable primary healthcare services to particularly rural dwellers to propel Ghana towards attainment of the Universal Health Coverage target in 2030.
