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Government to halt exodus of health workers – Health Minister
The Ministry of Health (MoH) is putting measures in place to curb the mass migration of health workers into other countries, and its implication for Ghana, says the sector minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu.
He said though health worker migration was a global phenomenon, the MoH’s Human Resource Policy Direction aims to strengthen mechanisms for the production, deployment, retention and reintegration of health workforce to meet local and global demands.
Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu made these known when he took his turn at the Meet-the-Press series in Accra on Thursday to provide insight into the progress made by the Ministry in providing good health services.
It is recalled that the General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr David Tenkorang-Twum, disclosed that a chunk number of nurses sought clearance from the GRNMA Secretariat to leave the country for greener pastures.
To address this, Mr. Agyeman-Manu said the ministry was working within local and international frameworks for Health workforce deployment and reintegration in addition to close collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to streamline the Migration Policy to address current and future emerging issues.
This, the minister said would ensure financial and brain gain from international deployment of health workforce through mutually beneficial bilateral agreements.
“Government started managing migration in small quantities from Ghana to Barbados. So the new strategy is that, we will engage those who need some of our nurses to see how best we would allow them go and work,” he said.
Speaking on some achievements chalked by the ministry, he said the establishment of a Vaccine Institute in Ghana, represented a significant advancement in regional healthcare, “This initiative stands out as the second institute in West Africa and the sixth across the entire African continent”.
“In August 2023 the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) was designated as a Regional Centre of Regulatory Excellence in Vaccines Regulatory Oversight in Africa by African Union Development Agency — New Partnership for Africa’s Development,” he said.
According to him, the designation underscores the FDA’s commitment to strengthening the vaccine regulatory capacity of other regulatory authorities in Africa, adding that the achievement aligns with the President’s agenda to make Ghana a vaccine manufacturing hub for Africa.
Mr Manu said the Drugs Laboratory of the FDA’s Centre for Laboratory Services and Research has achieved WHO-Prequalified Quality Control Laboratory status, ‘the first in the ECOWAS region.
With the attainment of this status, test results issued by this laboratory will be recognized globally, creating opportunities for locally manufactured medicines to access the international market while aiding in the effective facilitation of the African Continental Free Trade Area,’.
Touching on Ghana’s roadmap for attaining universal health coverage by 2030, he said the government was focused on improving access to quality health services and minimising avoidable maternal, adolescent, child mortality and disabilities.
Mr Manu said the mandate of the Ministry is to improve the health status of all people living in Ghana through effective and efficient policy formulation, resource mobilisation, monitoring and evaluation.
He said the vision of the health sector was to have a healthy population for national development and also to contribute to socio-economic development and the development of a local health industry.
This he said could be achieved by promoting health and vitality, through access to quality health for all people living in Ghana.
On the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Minister said the total enrollment stood at 17.2 million annual active members representing 54.5 per cent coverage of the population as against the target of 57 per cent.
Source: Ghanaiantimes.com
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ASWIM lauds Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Association of Women in the Media, (ASWIM) has congratulated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on her historic achievement as Ghana’s first female Vice President.
The association said her trailblazing journey with sterling accomplishments from academia to politics, is undoubtedly, a vivid inspiration to countless women and girls across Ghana and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by its president, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, and copied to The Spectator on Tuesday in Accra.
“ASWIM celebrates your remarkable career, marked by numerous firsts, including the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC), and the first female to hold a professional chair in Ghana, (UCC),” the statement said.
It said the accomplishments of Prof Opoku- Agyemang were clear testament to the brilliance, resilience and resourceful nature of the complete beautiful African woman.
“As she takes on this new role, ASWIM proudly lauds her commitment to education, women’s empowerment, distinguished public service and patriotism and is very confident that her pursuit of excellence, love for humanity, humility, decency, modesty and commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable will characterise Ghana’s political leadership and public service,” the statement added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.