The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Amidu Chinnia Issahaku says government is committed to making the health sector “more active and vibrant” for it to be able to deliver quality services in the country.
The Regional Minister said the country’s health system is critical for national development, hence the vision of government is to see to it that the right to health of all Ghanaians is guaranteed through an established health sector with what he termed “sustainable ability to deliver affordable, equitable and easily accessible healthcare”.
Mr. Chinnia Issahaku was speaking at the 11th Annual General Meeting and Continuous Professional Development session of the Health Service Supply Chain Practitioners’ Association, Ghana (HESSCPAG) in Wa in the Upper West Region.
Mr. Chinnia Issahaku pointed out that government will address the disparities in the health sector through policies on procurement and prescription to guarantee the availability of effective drugs, whilst ensuring drugs are used appropriately.
He underscored the significance of the supply chain master plan and said: “It is necessary for us to sustain and make good use of the supply chain master plan to the best benefit of the Ministry of Health’s objective for stronger national health system for all.”
The National President of HESSCPAG, Edwin Adinortey Agbugbla was not happy about the human resource gaps in the procurement and supply fraternity.
He lamented that: “There are currently human resource gaps in the procurement and supply fraternity at the various administrative levels in the country. A lot of our officers have gone on retirement in recent times and there has been no replacement. It is our wish that financial clearance be given in order to recruit new staff to replace them.”
The Director, Supplies, Stores and Drug Management Division of GHS, Headquarters, Mrs. Araba Kudiabor deputized for the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare.
Mrs. Kudiabor said: “We have no choice but to revolutionalize the way we do things, it should not be business as usual.”
She stressed that whilst the Service looks at rewarding hard work and providing the needed human resources, to ensure the provision of optimal services in health logistics management services to the good people of Ghana, the Service will also not deal kindly with any individual or group whose conduct has the potential of derailing the successes or drawing us back”.
Mrs. Kudiabor challenged the supply chain practitioners to put up their best as the success of the interventions depends on all parties, saying “I want everybody to come on board, you cannot afford to be a spectator”.
The Acting Upper West Regional Director of Health, Dr. Abdulai Abubakari stated that the Region is challenged in respect of the requisite human resource for all categories of health professionals including supply chain practitioners.
He indicated that “It is sad that, the Region can currently boast of only 14 supply chain practitioners managing eleven District Health Directorates, eight Hospitals and four polyclinics”.
Dr. Abdulai Abubakari appealed to members of HESSCPAG and natives of Upper West to accept postings to the Region.
The Acting Regional Director of Health was hopeful that the conference will come out with solutions to surmount the challenges facing the “various components of the supply chain management system in the health sector”.
The Dajeng Naa, Naa Amidu Seidu Bomison who represented the Wa Naa, Naa Fusieni Seidu Pelpuo chaired the function.
The focus of the event was “Sustaining the Gains of Public Health Supply Chain Reforms in Ghana: Warehouse Optimisation, Framework Contracting, Last Mile Distribution and Logistics Management Information Systems”.
Story by Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
