HIGH MATRNAL MORTALITY WORRYING — KUNBUOR (PAGE 25, OCT 2)

THE Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbuor, has expressed concern about the high maternal mortality and the disparity of accessing health care facilities in the country.
He said the government was more determined than ever to invest in infrastructure development in the health sector.
Dr Kunbuor made the remarks at the opening ceremony of a four-day international conference on advanced medicined in Kumasi.
The conference was organised by the authorities of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in collaboration with the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Olmsted Outreach and navigators, and African Partners from the United States of America.
It sought to build the capacity of health professionals to enhance quality delivery of health services.
The minister said the government would support the training and retention of health professionals in the country, and also provide the requisite equipment to enhance the delivery of quality health care for all Ghanaians.
As many as 1,400 health professionals have been trained to provide quality health care to Ghanaians since the programme was introduced six years ago.
Dr Kunbuor commended the organisers of the outreach programme, adding that his ministry would support health care providers in their guest to build their capacity in terms of training opportunities.
“The district health management teams will be strengthened to directly liaise effectively with district assemblies and their decentralised agencies and departments to be responsible to their own health”, he said.
“The Health Ministry will continue to put in place measures that will not only help to retain the health professionals we train, but also tap the rich experience and expertise of those who have left the country”, Dr Kunbuor stressed.
On the emoluments of health professionals, the deputy minister said the government would continue to dialogue with leadership of health professionals in finding mutually acceptable take home pay.
By this, I am sure health professionals will appreciate the commitment of government and exercise their professional duties to ensure that health care of the people becomes paramount in their agenda”, he stated
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Opoku Manu, commended the KATH authorities for their sense of initiative, saying “one of the core mandates as a teaching hospital is by making continuous medical education available to the less privileged hospitals and clinics in the region”.
He explained that fostering relationships with foreign health institutions and organisations would go a long way to address some of the health problems in the country.
In his welcome address, the acting Chief Executive of the KATH, Professor Ohene Adjei said lack of a systematic programme of continuous education and world class refresher courses in most African countries had created knowledge deficit among practitioners in terms of current development in the medical field.