Gov't Put Under Pressure To Inaugurate AHPC Board

Ghana Federation of Allied Health Professions (GFAHP) has called on the government to inaugurate the New Allied Health Professions Council Board (AHPC) to regulate the affairs in the health sector.

Allied health professions council board (AHPC), is the highest decision-making platform where matters of critical national health importance affecting the members and Ghanaian citizenry are addressed.

The group said the non-existent of the council board has posed a serious threat to the public health and safety of Ghanaians.

"The absence of a governing board for allied health professions council (APHC) for the past two (2) years, it's a threat to public health and safety".

Dr. Ignatius Awinibuno, the chairman of the council of presidents, addressing the media at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, lamented that, the absence of the council's governing board has rendered the allied health professions council ineffective in providing the needed regulatory oversight for proper training and professional practice of the 18 professions with more than 150 sub-specialist.

"The current happenings at the allied health professions council (AHPC) has rendered the council vulnerable to numerous corporate governance violations and external interferences by many interest groups to the disadvantage of our membership and healthcare delivery in the country", he said.

According to him, the group has noted that the existing HPRB Act, 2013 (Act 857) has been amended by the ministry of health.

"We have noted with total dismay that sections of the existing HPRB Act, 2013 (Act 857) are being amended and other laws and legislation are being amended secretly by the ministry of health seeking to grant supervisory power of some class of professionals over us", he noted.

He added that the absence of the board has set the grounds for proliferation of quacks and mushrooming of sub-standard training institution which exposes unsuspecting clients and the general public to harm.

However, the group has threatened to withdraw its services on Tuesday, 14th May 2019, if nothing is been heard or done from the government about the inauguration of the council board.

The allied health professions is made up of eighteen (18) different legally registered health professional bodies whose members play key roles in the effective management of the health sector in the country.