Non State actors to supplement quality health care delivery

Accra, June 10, GNA - Non-State Actors (NSAs) in Health has launched a charter that marks the coming together of all health non-governmental organisations operating in Ghana, to unite under one umbrella and help provide health services to Ghanaians.

The launching of the Charter also allows NSAs to well position themselves to assist government in pursuing health development agenda as ascribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), through advocacy and proper monitoring of health services.

At a media launch of the Charter in Accra, Mr Louis Agbe a Consultant, said the formation of the NSA platform fall in line with WHO's new framework that sought to strengthen its engagement with NSAs due to the role they have been playing in providing critical health services to the people and reducing the disease burden.

He said under the country co-ordinating mechanism of the global health fund, there were programmes that allow NSAs together with state actors to work with development partners in improving the health sector.

The three partners would work together to demand accountability of duty bearers.

Mr Agbe said in particular, priority issues to be tackled under the partnership would include universal health coverage, primary health care, heath financing, procurement in the health sector, quality and standards and governance.

He said the issues of malaria, Persons Living with HIV and AIDs (PLWA), and TB, among others, would be also be looked at.

He explained that the Charter would therefore enable the NSAs to generate the needed evidence necessary to work with in achieving a resilience and sustainable health system that delivered quality health care for all.

Mrs Cecilia Senoo, Executive Director of Hope for Future Generation, said her organisation and the Society for Women in AIDS in Africa Clikgold and the West Africa AIDS Foundation decided to lead the unity platform so they could have a louder voice to champion the course of the underprivileged and the vulnerable in society.

She said the Charter would empower NGOS in Health to carry out their advocacy work and partner government in providing for the needs of society.

She said with the Charter now in place, the NSAs would be gathering data on existing situation and issues including the alleged issue of PLWAs being given expired Anti-retroviral drugs at the Tema General Hospital, and the Government's failure in providing counterpart funding as part of its mandate and commitment to health care.

She said the issue of the fire outbreak that occurred at the Central Medical Store at Tema burning all medicines and medical equipment, would also be revisited to allow the NSAs to know what government was doing about the situation to restock the Centre with required medicines.

Dr Henry Nagai, Chief of Party of John Snow International Inc., said the role f NSAs was very important since they work hard through advocacy to compliment government's development agenda.

He asked the NSAs to continue to work to ensure that the public systems worked efficiently to ensure the safety of the citizenry.

GNA

By Lydia Asamoah, GNA