Health problems

THE Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa Yankey, has called for a by-partisan approach to resolving health issues in the country.
That, he said would ensure progress in the health sector as policies were put in place for the benefit of Ghanaians irrespective of political affiliations.
Dr Yankey said this at his first meeting with the Inter-Agency Leadership Committee (IALC) in Accra last Thursday.
He said programmes were underway to refurbish the health services in the country to deal with problems confronting the ministry and other health institutions.
He, therefore, asked the various agencies to furnish the ministry with the necessary logistics for health issues that needed interventions.
The minister proposed a two-day workshop with the agencies to tackle some of the major problems confronting the ministry, which would include a critical look at some conflicts among these agencies.
Another challenge, he said, was financing which had become a problem due to the world economic crisis but added that the government had initiated measures to generate money for health care in the country.
Sixteen representatives of IALC outlined issues of concern and called on the minister to look at them critically.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Ken Sagoe, noted that, the hospital was indebted to a tune of GH¢1.4 million which was retarding its progress.
He also mentioned the huge cost of repairs and maintenance and the deterioration of infrastructure.
The Registrar of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC), Mr F.K. Hlortsi-Akakpo, noted that 100 herbal medicine shops would be licensed as part of their activities.
He expressed concern about the misinterpretation of Act 575, and called on the government to finalise the Legislative Instrument (LI) for the Act.
For her part, the Registrar of the Nurses and Midwives Council (NMC), Mrs Veronica Darko, said the non-existence of a governing board and the increased number of accredited training schools to 81 had created congestion at the council.
Mrs Darko appealed to the government to give more attention to midwifery practice in Ghana.
The Director of the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine, Prof Laud Okine, announced that three new products had been developed for the cure of diabetes, hypertension and HIV/AIDS, while there were plans for a botanical garden for medicinal plants.
The Director of National Ambulance Service (NAS), Dr Ahmed Zakariah, called on the government to fund the service in order to embark on training for additional staff.
The Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), Dr Philibert Kankye, said 35 to 40 per cent of patients were being catered for by CHAG to relieve the burdens of other health institutions.
He, however, asked churches to be involved in the provision of quality health services for Ghanaians.