Dr Damien Punguyire, the Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, has commended the Sissala East Municipal Assembly for the strategic investments in the health sector despite its vastness in the region.
He has also commended the MP for the area, Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, for his tremendous work to provide health infrastructure.
“The foresight to start and finish health projects independently, whether your mandate ends or not, is a mark of good leadership.
On behalf of the Director General of the Ghana Health Service, I hope you will finish the projects and you will be remembered for your support to the health sector”, Dr Punguyire said.
Dr Punguyire gave the commendation at Tumu during a stakeholder meeting organised by the Capacity Enhancement and Community Support (CAPECS), an NGO on health scorecard in the Sissala East Municipality.
The Regional Director took the opportunity to address some pertinent issues affecting healthcare delivery following the outcome of the scorecard.
Dr Punguyire said, “A lot of things are happening championed by the health volunteers, our health staff are giving trusted and compassionate care, the idea of the scorecard is to identify little challenges being made to ensure quick and reliable access to health delivery.”
On medicines, he said, “We have been trying to ensure regular supplies, the service is also prioritizing some drugs for the health service that should be available all the time.”
He asked officers in charge of the community health post to continue with the requisition and consumption.
Referral of patients within the health system, he noted, should not be seen as punishment but as part of the health system.
He called on health staff to ensure layers of work and conditions of work were adhered to since it had part of the care system.
The Regional Director advised the District heads to lobby the various District assemblies for support in their work.
“When we post staff help them by making conditions favourable for them to stay so as to improve healthcare delivery”, he said.
Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, the Sissala East Member of Parliament, Sissala East, said, “I don’t want my projects to be abandoned whether I win as MP or not.
I have provided two ambulances, one in Welembelle and the other in Nabulo, a third one for Banu is being worked on.
I am almost completing maternity homes for four communities with 22-bed capacity.
“Whether I win or not, I desire to finish all the health projects I have initiated in the Sissala East and continue to finish”, he said.
He advised the communities not to do politics with everything but should be united for peace and development.
Mr Abu Donkuwie, the Executive Director of Capacity Enhancement and Community Support (Capecs), said working with USAID Quality services for health activity, urged community health volunteers to see themselves as the link between themselves and the health facilities.
He appealed to the communities to support the health committees since much of their work is voluntary.
He advocated for resource mobilisation by the community for health activities.
GNA
