$12m Health project for Upper East, North East regions launched
A project aimed at strengthening primary healthcare delivery in the North East and Upper East regions has been launched at Nalerigu.
The $12 million initiative seeks to equip Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS) zones, health centres and district hospitals with various medical equipment, including building the capacity of health workers for better outcomes.
The five-year project dubbed: “CHPS+ Phase II,” is being implemented by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
It forms part of efforts by South Korea to support the country attain Universal Health Coverage.
The first phase of the project which involved $9 million was implemented in the Upper East Region from 2016 to 2021, resulting in the reduction of the institutional maternal mortality ratio and a more than 50 per cent reduction in the under-five mortality ratio in the region.
Overview
Giving an overview of the project at the launch in Nalerigu in the North East Region yesterday, the Director-General of GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, said the project would be implemented in 15 districts in the Upper East Region and seven districts in North East.
He said it would ensure the construction of new CHPS compounds and health centres in rural communities while supporting the day-to-day operations of community health officers (CHOs) by providing them with motorbikes for more effective and efficient outreach services.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye also said that it would widen the coverage of community tricycle ambulances which transported patients with critical cases to nearby health facilities.
He said CHPS which brought healthcare delivery to the doorstep of the people had become a beacon of hope.
While thanking the government of Korea for its support, the Director-General expressed his preparedness to ensure the successful implementation of the project.
The North East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Abdulai Abukari, said that the launch of the project marked a milestone in the government’s commitment to provide equitable access to health for all.
“It also underscores our dedication to the well-being of our communities by putting the people’s health needs at the forefront,” he added.
As part of the project, the director said the GHS had already held stakeholder engagements on life-saving skills for core regional resource teams, while funds had been transferred to beneficiary districts to support outreach programmes.
The North East Regional Minister, Yidana Zakaria, charged the various district assemblies in the area to embrace the intervention.
Pledge
The Country Director of KOICA, Seungmin Oh, pledged the continuous support of the agency to the GHS to enhance health care through the provision of technical and financial assistance.
“KOICA is happy to support GHS’s main strategy to improve health in every aspect of this project,” he added.
Mr Oh said the project would prioritise three key areas —enhancement of community engagement, improvement of maternal, newborn and child health services, and strengthening the overall health system environment.