AHSAG to Donate a Mechanized Borehole to Akropong Polyclinic in Ashanti Region

The age-long view has been that a professional association exists primarily to regulate professional conduct, build capacity of its members and see to their welfare. This has been the status quo of most professional associations in the health sector of Ghana.

Breaking away from this long-held group-centred view, the Association of Health Service Administrators, Ghana (AHSAG) has decided to drill a mechanized borehole for the Akropong Polyclinic in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District in the Ashanti Region. AHSAG is extending this philanthropic gesture to the Akropong Polyclinic as part of the 44^th AHSAG Annual General Meeting/ Continuing Professional Development Programme (AGM/CPD) scheduled to take place in Kumasi from October 26-29, 2021.

Project Cost
According to Mr. Eric Frimpong, the Treasurer of AHSAG who is also the Head of Administration and Support Services of Bekwai Municipal Hospital, the mechanized borehole project will cost the Association about Twenty-Three Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢23, 000.00). The Treasurer added that the project has started and it is being funded with voluntary contributions by members of the Association nationwide. He thus encouraged all AHSAG members and others to donate willingly towards this worthy course. Mr. Frimpong is the frontline person coordinating this important project on behalf of AHSAG. The AHSAG mechanized borehole project for Akropong Polyclinic is to provide a lasting panacea to the Polyclinic’s perennial water shortage problem.

Why the Decision to Donate a Mechanized Borehole to Akropong Polyclinic?

According to the President of AHSAG, Mr. Fred Effah-Yeboah who is also the Director of Administration of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, an association pursues the welfare of its members not in a vacuum but within society so professional associations like AHSAG must equally help to solve societal problems. He added that the Association’s 44^th AGM/CPD programme is being held in the Ashanti Region hence it is appropriate to support a health facility in the hosting Region. He added that handwashing under running water is one of the preventive protocols for combating the COVID-19 pandemic and he envisages that the donation of a mechanized borehole for Akropong Polyclinic will contribute largely to adhering to this COVID-19 protocol in that Polyclinic. Mr. Fred Effah-Yeboah also opined that the donation of the mechanized borehole to Akropong Polyclinic is equally in tandem with AHSAG’s theme for its 44^th AGM/CPD. According to him, the theme reads, “Effective Management of Support Services During a Pandemic: The Role of the Health Service Administrator.” Touching further on the relevance of AHSAG’s decision to charitably drill a mechanized borehole for the Akropong Polyclinic, Mr Effah-Yeboah remarked quizzingly, “If the Association’s donation of a mechanized borehole to end perennial water shortage in a health facility within the 44^th AGM hosting Region (Ashanti) is not apt, timely and in accordance with the conference theme above, then what else could be?” Mr. Effah-Yeboah hopes ardently that other professional associations in the health sector will emulate this philanthropic initiative of AHSAG. He concluded that there is no better venture than one that supports humanity.

Why Must AHSAG Members Attend the Upcoming 44^th AGM/CPD in Kumasi?

Addressing this question, Mr. Fred Effah-Yeboah (AHSAG President) said that the 44^th AGM/CPD for AHSAG in Kumasi, the Garden City of Ghana will help the leadership and members of the Association to:

1. Acquire additional knowledge on the job through collective learning and cross-fertilization of ideas both at the scientific and business sessions of the Conference.
2. Interact with one another thereby expanding social networks and meeting old friends for conviviality.
3. Take a break from the tedious job of managing support services 24/7 at various health facilities across the nation.
4. See to constitutional and other matters of interest to the Association.
5. Render a transparent account to AHSAG members after the end of the second term of the incumbent leadership.
6. Tour some monumental and interesting parts of the Garden City including but not limited to the famous and revered Manhyia Palace from where the Asante Kingdom is ruled by he who occupies the Golden Stool (Asantehene).

Conference Topics and Facilitators

Regarding the intended deliberations at the 44^th AHSAG Conference in Kumasi, Mr. Bernard Fiifi Polley, the General Secretary of AHSAG who is also the Administrator of Amasaman Hospital stated that the topics enumerated below will be treated at the programme to build the capacity of AHSAG members in a bid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic from the support services perspective.

1. Achieving effective management of pandemics through efficient management of healthcare logistics: by Paul Gawu, Deputy Director of Procurement -Ghana Health Service.
2. The role of effective transportation and transport management in managing pandemics: by Mr. Abu Alhassan, Deputy Director of Transport -Ghana Health Service.
3. Towards efficient and safe deployment of human resources during pandemics: by Mrs. Georgina Yeboah, Executive Director- African Forum for Research and Education in Health Service (AFREhealth).
4. Safe environment and sanitation practices and infection prevention during pandemics: by Mrs. Patience Ami Mamattah: Municipal Director of Health Services, Ashaiman- Ghana Health Service
5. Code of ethics and professional responsibilities of Health Service Administrators: by Mr. B.C.K. Botwe, Former CEO of Wenchi Methodist Hospital and a Former AHSAG President.

Conclusion
While wishing AHSAG members an incident-free AGM/CPD in Kumasi, I pray and hope that they will be able to complete the ongoing mechanized borehole project on schedule for the Akropong Polyclinic in Ashanti Region. Indeed, it is convincingly settled in my mind that there is no bigger and better venture than one that supports humanity timely.

~Asante Sana ~
Author: Philip Afeti Korto.
Email: [email protected]