Appeal Bond Introduce bond system for health professional- Bishop

Techiman (B/A), Aug. 3, GNA - The Right Reverend Mathew Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, has called on the government to institute a bonding system for health professionals after their training to enable them to serve the country for a minimum number of years. Such a system, according to Bishop Gyamfi, will address the problem and mitigate the effects of mass exodus of health professionals for greener pastures abroad.

He made the appeal at the 50th anniversary of the Techiman Holy Family hospital at Techiman over the weekend.

Bishop Gyamfi said health care delivery thrives on the availability of trained, qualified and competent health professionals and asked for a vigorous drive for human resource training and development for the health sector.

In a principle of reciprocity, Bishop Gyamfi also entreated the government to review and revise the condition of service for health professionals in order to enable them to stay home to serve the people.

Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways, stressed the need for the local Holy Family Hospital to co-operate with the government towards the implementation of the National health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi tasked the community and citizens of the area to provide assistance towards the expansion of the hospital since it has saved many lives in the Techiman municipality.

Alhaj Dr. Mohammed Bin- Ibrahim, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Health Service (GHS) hoped that the 50 years chalked by the hospital would spur them on to provide more quality services to the people in the area.

The Administrator of the hospital Mr. Francis Tawiah noted that the hospital faced problems of inadequate qualified personnel, transport, accommodation and obsolete equipment and infrastructure.

Mr. Tawiah said due to the high rate of road traffic accidents on three major roads linking the northern sector to the south, the hospital with 135 beds "is gradually become a major accident and emergency centre in the region" and appealed to the government to develop the accident and emergency unit into ultra-modern one to cater for accident victims. The hospital later awarded 110 past and present employees with various prizes for long and meritorious services in the past 50 years. One of the surviving pioneers 100-year-old Nana Yaw Ntoah, who helped to demarcate the present site of the hospital in 1954 was also given a kente cloth, a parcel and free medical care.

The diocesan Surgeon, Dr. Harry Weijdam who served the hospital for 10 years was also installed as Obenefour Oheneba Ameyaw, son of the Ameyaw stool in the area for his service to humanity, by the Omanene of the Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeeyo Akumfi-Ameyaw IV.