Agreement

THE Ministry of Health and its development partners have signed an agreement to map out strategies to improve the health sector of the country.
The partners are Japan, the United States of America, Germany and Sierra Leone.
The agreement, a yearly initiative undertaken by the ministry to review and assess performance, was reached after discussions were held at a business meeting to reflect commitments of health partners towards improving the health sector.
The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the health sector had achieved a 30 per cent reduction in under-five mortality rate but noted that non-communicable diseases were assuming alarming proportions and that needed prompt attention.
“We need to strengthen our emergency services and put maternal and child health services as top priorities in line with the focus of the sector for 2009,” Dr Yankey said.
He was hopeful that all issues raised in the agreement would be implemented and properly monitored for the resolution of challenges in the health sector.
For his part, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Donald Teitelbaum, said the development partners were ready to work with the government to help improve the health sector.
He also noted that the joint strategy would create more room to embrace both bilateral projects and multilateral funding in Ghana.
Mr Teitelbaum indicated that the development partners would welcome regular opportunities to interact with the leadership of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
He commended the ministry for its commitment and dedication to improve the health of women and children in the country.