Minister inaugurates boards of seven health institutions

 The Governing Boards and Councils of organisations under the Ministry of Health have been asked to facilitate acceleration of the passage of operational Acts and Legislative Instruments ( LI) of health institutions to enable them function efficiently and boost healthcare services.

The Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, noted that currently, the operational Acts and LIs of several health institutions were yet to be passed and was affecting their operations under the circumstances.

Inaugurating the Boards and Councils of seven health institutions in Accra, he said the Attorney-General’s Department was currently working on some Acts and LIs and noted that inputs from the boards and councils were critical to fast-tracking the process.

The institutions included the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Ghana Medical and Dental Council, the Pharmacy Council and the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.

The others were the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency and the Psychology Council.

Ministry’s mandate

Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu said the Ministry of Health had the mandate to facilitate an efficient healthcare system for the public.

“But we can only achieve our mandate when the institutions under our supervision are well-organised and competent; hence, the need to fast-track their Acts and LIs,” he said.

Mr Agyeman Manu was of the opinion that the ministry could only bring about improvement in health care if difficulties the sector faced were addressed.

“It behoves you as governing boards and councils, therefore, to collaborate with the management of your respective institutions in order to boost operations and deliver to national expectations and to the satisfaction of all.

He appealed to the boards and councils not to work with the silo mentality but as a team to enhance efficiency in the health care sector.

Other tasks

The Minister of Health also gave the governing boards and councils the task of helping to address the illegal sale, development and encroachment of lands belonging to public hospitals and other public health institutions.

“You are to use your rich experiences, expertise and skills to fashion out workable solutions to the challenges that confront the institutions you have been assigned to,” he said.

He further urged them to bring improvement into the governance and leadership structures in health sector institutions, enable access to essential and specialist services, ensure availability of medicines and consumables and improve the human resource base.

Besides, the governing boards and councils were charge to improve nursing care, regulatory mechanisms, financial management and audits and inter-sectorial collaboration.

The governing boards and councils were also expected to facilitate advancement in health research and training, health education, introduce customer services and health marketing, facilitate improvement in security in the various health facilities across the country, as well as provide staff with accommodation.

Making a remark on behalf of the inaugurated boards and councils, the Omanhene of the Bompata Traditional Area in the Ashanti Region, Nana Effah Appenten, expressed his gratitude to the President for the confidence reposed in them.

He acknowledged that health and healthcare services were critical to national development and they were, therefore, poised to support the government in its determination to ensure health for all.

writer’s email doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh