We need more investments to strengthen the country’s health system – Agyeman Manu

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Kumasi-Ghana, April 18, GNA – Mr Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Minister for Health, has stressed the need for more investments in the health sector to help further strengthen the country’s health systems.
He said though Ghana had been celebrated globally on its resilient health system, especially in the fight against the outbreak of the covid-19 and other diseases such as Marburg, monkey pox, yellow fever and measles, and others, there was still the need for adequate resources to further strengthen its health systems at all levels.
“The way those working in the health systems globally have celebrated you and the country is so tremendous and I believe you deserve a very big thank you for the role that you played fighting covid-19.
Since the covid-19, Ghana had gone through other outbreaks such as Marburg, monkey pox, yellow fever and measles which were all contained through hard work of the health workers.
Overcoming all those outbreaks was a clear manifestation of how resilient the country’s health system had become,” he stated.
Mr Agyeman Manu was speaking at the opening of the three-day meeting of senior managers of the country’s health system in Kumasi.
The meeting which is being held on the theme, “Enhancing Primary Healthcare Approaches Towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage,” is being attended by senior officers of the Service drawn from all the 16 regions.
It seeks to take stock of its performance in 2022 and strategise the way forward in the years ahead.
Also in attendance were key partners, sponsors and agencies which have been working closely with the GHS to improve health outcomes in Ghana over the years.
Mr Agyeman Manu paid glowing tribute to Ghanaian health workers for their dedication to duty even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic which was not only a novelty but a threat to their lives.
He said they had earned global applause as Ghana was adjudged as one of the outstanding countries to have efficiently managed the pandemic.
“We have a lot of challenges which I appreciate but we have also resolved quite a number of them, and we are moving into better terrain,” he noted.
He said the Ministry was working with the Clinton Foundation to see how some of the laboratories of the Service could be strengthened to ensure better diagnosis in the fight against diseases.
Parliament, he noted, had approved the Vaccines Institute Bill which would pave the way for the establishment of laboratories to locally manufacture vaccines in the country.
This would help prevent future shortage of vaccines in the country as witnessed recently in the case of childhood vaccines.
Mr Agyeman Manu called on all actors in the health sector to step up efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a country.
Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye, Director General of GHS, said the Service recorded improvements in some health indicators during the year under review.
He said under five and institutional maternal mortality rates decreased significantly albeit some challenges which he said would be discussed during the meeting.
“At the same time, we exceeded our target for the percentage of pregnant women attending at least four antenatal visits and putting half a million persons on long term family planning,” he added.
He said there was also improvement in children under five years receiving vitamin A and babies benefiting early breastfeeding initiation.