By Jones Anlimah
The Ghana Physician Assistant Association (GPAA) has held its 21st Annual General Conference in Ho under the theme: “Leveraging on the Networks of Practice Implementation to Accelerate the Attainment of Universal Health Coverage: Resource Constraints at the Sub-district Level Under the Microscope.”
The event brought together Physician Assistants (PAs) from across the country, stakeholders in the health sector, and government officials to deliberate on the critical challenges facing healthcare delivery at the sub-district level.
The 21st Annual General Conference of the Ghana Physician Assistant Association brought together members from all 16 regions across the country, focusing on improving healthcare delivery through better implementation of existing healthcare networks. It also sought to address the resource limitations that hinder Physician Assistants, and push for policy actions that would enhance their contribution toward achieving Universal Health Coverage in Ghana.
The president of the Ghana Physician Assistant Association (GPAA), Mr. Peter Akudugu Ayamba, called on the government through the Ministry of Health to expedite action on several pressing issues affecting Physician Assistants nationwide.
These include the long-overdue job re-evaluation process, the provision of financial clearance for newly trained PAs, and the proper placement of specialized PAs in the healthcare system.
“We cannot continue to work under these conditions when our contributions to healthcare, particularly in rural areas, are crucial to the attainment of universal health coverage,” he stressed.
Mr. Ayamba further emphasised the need for improved conditions of service for all Physician Assistants, citing the strain on their capacity to deliver efficient healthcare under current resource constraints.
The Volta Regional Coordinating Director, Mr. Augustus Awity, acknowledged the essential role of PAs in improving healthcare outcomes in underserved areas of the region. He assured that the Volta Regional Coordinating Council will continue to work with all relevant agencies to ensure the necessary support is provided for PAs in the region to deliver quality healthcare services.
The Deputy Director in charge of Public Health at the Volta Regional Health Directorate, Dr. Senanu Dzokoto, noted that achieving Universal Health Coverage in resource-constrained environments requires innovative approaches to healthcare delivery.
He added that leveraging networks of practice implementation is a powerful way to address resource limitations at the sub-district level, improve access to healthcare, promote collaboration, and build resilient healthcare systems. He called for the strengthening of associations among key stakeholders to advocate for the resources needed to ensure healthcare is accessible to all.
The conference, among other objectives, is also expected to renew efforts for enhanced partnerships between healthcare professionals and the government to address the bottlenecks that hinder the effective implementation of healthcare policies at the sub-district level—a move seen as critical to achieving universal health coverage in Ghana.