By Razak Baba
The Ghana Health Service in collaboration with the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights has begun disseminating findings of a survey conducted to assess Ghana’s health facilities’ capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining essential health services. The survey was conducted in June, 2021with funding from the World Health Organization. A workshop to discuss the findings has taken place in Kumasi, from where Razak Baba reports that participants from the Oti, Eastern, and Ashanti Regions.
They included community health nurses, physician assistants, public health nurses, doctors, and other stakeholders from the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies.143 facilities in nine regions participated in the survey which covered all levels of health facilities under the Ghana Health Service.
Majority of the facilities are managed by the government, with about 56% located in rural communities. According to the survey, 2% of staff in these facilities was diagnosed with COVID-19 between March and May 2021, with more clinical staff diagnosed with the disease than non-clinical staff.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Anthony Adofo Ofosu said the survey was essential to identify the gaps in service delivery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to address them for efficient healthcare delivery.
Dr. Anthony Adofo Ofosu disclosed that Ghana is at the verge of winning the COVID-19 fight.
He however expressed concern about possible upsurge during the yuletide and therefore called for concerted efforts at curtailing the situation.
The Programmes Director of Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights, Nii Ankonu-Sarpei Annobah said it is important for Civil Society Organizations to work closely with the Ghana Health Service to address the gaps in Ghana’s Health Care Delivery.
