Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has pledged her office’s full support to the Ministry of Health in strengthening Ghana’s healthcare system.
“Today, I paid a working visit to the Ministry of Health, accompanied by my Chief of Staff, Hon. Alex Segbefia, and some of my advisors. We were warmly received by the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, together with the heads of key agencies under the Ministry,” she posted on Facebook on Tuesday.
The Vice President explained that her visit was aimed at extending her office’s support to the Ministry in fulfilling its critical mandate. “I assured the Minister and his team of our willingness to provide advice, guidance, and collaboration to enhance the effective functioning of the health sector,” she added.
She noted the Minister outlined some significant progress, pointing to “the addition of over 7,000 health professionals to the payroll, the uncapping of the NHIS which has increased funding, the introduction of a digital platform to simplify the nursing trainee application process, the implementation of the ‘No Fees Stress Policy’ to ease financial burdens on nursing students, as well as improved control of outbreaks such as cholera and meningitis. The rollout of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, known as MahamaCares, through the establishment of its Secretariat, was also highlighted as a major step forward.”
Despite these strides, she acknowledged persistent challenges facing the sector. “The Minister raised concerns about unemployment among health professionals, limited specialist training programs, the need for retooling health facilities, and inadequate support for the pharmaceutical industry,” she explained.
In response, the Vice President proposed several interventions. “We must leverage opportunities in exporting health professionals while safeguarding their welfare. We need to train qualified technicians in hospitals to handle equipment maintenance and minor repairs, ensuring sustainability. We must scale up specialist training to meet the growing demands of the health sector, and continue strengthening public education and awareness campaigns in partnership with other state agencies and the media.”
She further commended the Ministry for its ongoing interventions and assured them of government’s commitment. “I commended the Ministry for its interventions and reaffirmed Government’s commitment to improving conditions for both staff and patients. Dialogues will continue so we address the challenges raised and ensure effective reforms for a stronger and more responsive healthcare system.”
