‘Listen to the Voice of God’

The Government of Ghana has been advised to listen to the voice of God in the way it handles the various sectors of the economy to bring the much needed relief to Ghanaians.   

Archbishop Justice Yaw Anokye, Metropolitan of Kumasi
Archdiocese. 

Most Rev. Justice Yaw Anokye, Metropolitan Archbishop of Kumasi, made these remarks when he chaired the National Launch of the 24^th World Day of Sick at the St. Patrick Hospital at Maase-Offinso in the Kumasi Archdiocese. 

Drawing linkages between sickness and the health of Ghana’s economy, the Archbishop stated that Ghana was not feeling too well and said we need Jesus Christ to save us.

He therefore charged government to listen to God and do what God tell her in order to save the situation.

Archbishop Anokye said as partners in healthcare delivery with the Catholic Church contributing about 38 per cent to healthcare in the country, both the Church and the government must listen to each other to save lives.

He commended health workers for their efforts, and entreated them to listen to Jesus Christ and their superiors, urging them to be sincere in the discharge of their duties.

The Archbishop earlier in a homily at a Mass preceding the launch, urged health workers to invite Jesus into their lives, since He will help them overcome all their challenges.

He charged health workers to eschew lackadaisical attitude in their work but work with love and compassion, as well as respect the tenets of the Church in the discharge of their duties.  

Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum

Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua and the Bishop Responsible for Health at the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, who delivered the Pope’s message, was on the theme: Entrusting Onself to the Merciful Jesus like Mary: “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn.2:5).

Quoting from the Pope’s message, he said “illness, above all grave illness, always places human existence in crisis and brings with it questions that dig deep. Our first response may at times be one of rebellion: Why has this happened to me?”

“We can feel desperate, thinking that all is lost, that things no longer have meaning…” he added.

“In these situations, faith in God is on the one hand tested, yet at the same time can reveal all of its positive resources. Not because faith makes illness, pain, or the questions which they raise, disappears, but because it offers a key by which we can discover the deepest meaning of what we are experiencing” he noted.

Therefore the mystery of the wedding feast of Cana for the World Day of the Sick, paints an image of the Church: with Jesus at the centre, who in his mercy performs a sign; with his disciples around him. Beside Jesus and his disciples is Mary, the provident and prayerful mother.

Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum reiterated the Pope’s call that if we can learn to obey the words of Mary, who says: “Do whatever He tells you”, Jesus will always change the water into wine” and intervene in our sicknesses.

In an address, Mr George Adjei, Director of the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS), renewed the pledge of the Catholic Health Service to work hard in healthcare delivery in spite of the daunting challenges including maternal and neonatal mortalities.

Mr George Adjei, Esq.

The Director stated that with 36 Hospitals, 70 Clinics, 10 Nursing and Midwifery Training Colleges and 2 (two) specialised Institution in the country, the NCHS was poised to sustain the provision of quality healthcare delivery to Ghanaians.

He thanked the Archbishop of Kumasi, the Archdiocesan Executive Secretary for Health and the Management and Staff of St. Patrick Hospital for hosting the 2016 National launch of the 24^th World Day of the Sick.     

Mr Christian Abban Sappor

       

In a welcome address, Mr. Christian Abban Sappor, Executive Secretary for Health in the Kumasi Archdiocese noted that sickness is an inevitable scenarios that mankind cannot avoid, thus the existence of caregivers.

He said the theme for the celebration was an appropriate one which calls for all care providers and care seekers to entrust themselves to the merciful Jesus like Mary and do whatever He tells us.      

During the launch, the Hospital commissioned a refurbished Emergency Unit and a Special Clinic to help ease the congestion at the Outpatient Department and help in quality healthcare provision to patients.

The Dignitaries inspecting the refurbished clinic

Some dignitaries at the function interacting after the launch 

Present at the Launch were Most Rev. Thomas Kweku Mensah, Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Kumasi, Chief of Maase-Offinso and his entourage, Mr. Peter Yeboah, Executive Secretary, Christian Health Association (CHAG), as well as Chaplains and Priests, and many well-wishers.

As part of ceremony  Madam Elizabeth Mensah, Superintendent Enrolled Nurse; Madam Emma Pinamang, Principal Nursing Officer; and Mr. Philbert Yeltuo, Principal Pharmacy Technician were awarded for their long service at the Hospital. They were presented with double-decker fridges.     

Let Your Presence Inspire Confidence-

Catholic Chaplains missioned to hospitals have been challenged to let their presence inspire confidence among the sick and the staff, to ensure improve healthcare delivery to all.

Rev. Fr. Prof. John Appiah-Poku explaining a point, while
Mr Essegbey looks on.

Rev. Fr. Prof. John Appiah-Poku, a senior lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), stated that Chaplains were symbols of our shared faith, and charged them to demonstrate it, show it and live the tenets of the Church’s teachings in their respective roles. This is to complement efforts being made in the healing process at the hospitals. 

He made these observations in a presentation titled: The Chaplain as a Counsellor for Medical Intervention, at the Pope John Paul II Pastoral and Training Centre at Ofoase-Kokoben in the Obuasi Diocese.

 

Stressing the place of consistent and supportive care in the healing process, the Professor, intimated that irrespective of the cause of sickness, many non serious illness will heal when some level of care and concern were shown to the patient.

“The assurance and support offered patience increases the threshold of the patient tolerance for pain” he noted, adding that as the human face of God in the healing process, Chaplains were the comforting presence of the Church to the sick, through the administration of the sacraments and offering care.

 Fr. Appiah-Poku, opined that symbolic healing (which takes spiritual and physical form) was no monopoly of religious confession, and charged Chaplains to be skilful in their practice, as well as strive to maintain the uniqueness of the Church’s healing ministry at all times.

He stated that the Chaplain as the hope of the hopeless, comforter of the troubled hearted and the bearer of the image of God, must insist on Catholic beliefs in healthcare delivery at the various facilities at all times.

Mr George Adjei

Mr. Goerge A. Adjei, Esq., Director, the National Catholic Health Service, tackling the various areas, causes and challenges of medico-legal issues, arising from negligence and errors in healthcare delivery at the hospitals, urged Chaplains to help managers sensitise the staff on these areas in order to reduce the occurrence.

He entreated Chaplains to play the intermediary role to reduce the negative impacts punishment on staff for mistakes or psychological effects an error or negligence in caregiving might have on an offending staff.

In case of death of patients on admissions, Mr. Adjei urged Chaplains to engage the deceased families in to break the sad news of death of loved ones and follow up to console and support them afterwards.

Likewise, Mr. Ivan Essegbey, Senior Coordinator, Monitoring and Evaluation at the DOH, reminded the Chaplains of their duty to maintain good identity of their facilities in order to avoid bad press image, medico-legal issues, and loss of revenue among others.

“Be involved in orientation and organise retreats for management and staff” he stated.

Similarly, Mr. Lawrence Ofosu-Agyari, Senior Coordinator of Health Systems Management at the DOH, touched on the essence of team building, highlighting the crucial roles of chaplains as well as other members of the management team in ensuring cohesion, and addressing the complexities of healthcare provision in their respective facilities.

He however, urged them to maintain their neutrality, as they encourage team members to give off their best, reminding them to add a professional touch to their work. 

Mr. Ofosu-Agyari, also advised chaplains to lobby and build consensus on issues patterning to budget, and how to ensure the effective work of Pastoral Care teams.

The Chaplains were urged to be directly involved in the pre-counselling and post-counselling sessions for those undertaking HIV/AIDS Test and also do more of pre-surgical counselling for patients.  

A section of the Chaplains

Almost all the Chaplains reported an increment in their allowance from ¢300 to ¢1000, after the Directorate of Health and the respective Executive Secretaries took up the matter the concern the Chaplains registered last year. However a lot of them were yet to get offices in the various facilities they were working in.

Per the demands and nature of the Chaplains work in the healthcare delivery, the Chaplains expressed the need for training to equip them and need for Bishops to appoint permanent Chaplains to hospitals to help effectively make them effectively function in their apostolate.

  

Based on most Chaplains desire to visit Rome, the Director for NCHS touched on the possibility of arranging for two or three chaplains to attend the Annual Pontifical Conference on Health Rome each year to give them the platform.

        

The chaplains also resolved to invite Chaplains of Catholic Health Training and Midwifery Schools as well as Catholic Chaplains in Government Institutions to be part of the Association.

IS IT MY FAULT?

Is it my fault that you say what you say?
Is it my fault that you sing the way you sing?
Is it my fault that you write the way you do?
Is it my fault that you talk the way you do?
Is it my fault that your heart beats faster than mine?
Is it my fault that you look the way you do?
Is it my fault that you react the way you do?
Is it my fault that you betrayed the virtues in our values?
Is it my fault that you crucified the truth in your hearts?

Is it my fault for praying for your progress?
Is it my fault for wishing your success?
Is it my fault for caring to care?
Is it my fault for warning you about the whirlwind?
Is it my fault for preventing that odd ordeal from ordinary ordinance?
Is it my fault for desiring a direct destination of our destiny?
Is it my fault for asking the assertion in your allusions?
Is it my fault for poking periods in the practical pretence and poisons in our policies?
Is it my fault for questioning the quality in your quest?
Is it my fault for seeking salvation from sojourners of Savelugu?
Is it my fault for testing the transition in traveling tales?
Is it my fault for hissing at the historical hitches?
Is it my fault for kissing the kindred kingdoms of kindness?
Is it my fault for bracing the blessed blames in our backyard?
Is it my fault for critiquing the crimes of our corrupt colleagues in our country?
Is it my fault for eliminating the elegance in the enemies of our environment?
Is it my fault for mentioning men meddling in monetary maladies and malfeasance?

Please tell me, what is our fault in not talking to the transgressions of the tenants of our talents?
What's our fault in allowing these grievous nonsense to fester?
What's our fault in being too docile to permit the vilification of truth, while falsehood belches boastfully?

How can we dredge the sewers in our ill-will as we continuously look for scapegoats to blame and shame for our woes?
How can we address our stunning irresponsibility when everybody thinks the other person is the sinner?
Can we dare question the Creator for allowing us live in these everlasting erratic emotional scenes of schedules?

KYB 

MAZA health transportation saves lives

 

Transportation of patients to health facilities is vital to healthcare delivery in every country.

Timely transportation of patients in dire need of healthcare to health facilities is a necessity.  However, transportation of patients in critical conditions to health facilities, from mostly remote areas in Ghana is still inadequate.

Over the years, government’s commitment through the National Ambulance Service and efforts of mostly mission health facilities operating in remote areas of the country as well as the work of some NGOs to provide quick means of transportation of patients to health facilities is commendable but which still needs more work to close the transportation gap of patients in need of healthcare in the rural areas to health facilities.     

The presentation of 13 improvised tricycle ambulances by MAZA to help improve healthcare delivery in the Chereponi District of the Northern Region has come as an answer to the yawning gap of providing patients with fast, timely and reliable transportation to health facilities.    

*One of the 13 tricycle ambulance at the launch. 

Access to Urgent Health Care

In most rural areas of Ghana, studies indicate that sick people trying to urgently get to hospitals or health facilities, face obstacles such as long distances of about 30 kilometres or more that takes over four hours to cross. Some of these routes and paths, which are impassable roads, with few motorized vehicles and unreliable transportation service, come at a high price.

Often time, the lack of money to pay for appropriate scares transportation, further compounds the conditions of the patient and delays the time by which they get to the health facilities.

According to health experts the phenomenon is one of the most crucial root causes of the disparity of urban-rural premature deaths in Ghana, especially for the most vulnerable members of the population including pregnant women and infants.

Thus MAZA’s initiative, which seeks to reduce the incidence of such preventable deaths by providing an innovative social enterprise transportation solution at the community level that is safe, accessible, affordable and reliable, has come as an answered prayer to the many rural dwellers.

What is MAZA?

MAZA is a Hausa word which means quickly. The initiative basically focuses on establishing a transportation network for urgent health care needs in remote areas of Ghana, while creating income-generating opportunities for drivers, traders and farmers.

With the commencement of operation of motorized passenger tricycles in Chereponi District to serve the health needs of most of the 53,000 population size of the district, MAZA has a vision and prospect to scale up to cover more communities in the next few years, and extend its services to other rural districts in Ghana.

The 13 tricycle ambulances, worth GH¢104,000, will no doubt help bridge the gap between patients urgently in need of healthcare and healthcare providers trying to provide life-saving care to patients in time.

The vehicles are multi-purpose by design to meet the immense transportation needs of the rural communities and ensure reliability of the health transportation service through mobile technology and a roster system for drivers.

* A pictorial steps of how the Ambulance will operate 

According to Dr. Nana A. Y. Twum-Danso, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MAZA the introduction of the tricycle ambulances, to transport patients in remote rural communities would make it possible for people to access health care at the health posts in the district on time.

She explained that the operation of the ambulances which would be based at the community level would complement the work of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) by positioning its vehicles in the communities.

Dr. Twum-Danso, bemoaned the burden sick people trying to access health facilities in remote areas faced, in covering long distances, using impassable roads, few motorised vehicles, unreliable transportation services and lack of money to pay for appropriate transportation. These challenges sometimes cause avoidable complications and deaths, if patients in these areas received timely means of transport to the health facilities.

Hajia Mary Nakobu, Chereponi District Chief Executive, said most of the maternal and infant mortalities in the district occurred as a result of lack of transportation to get the expectant mothers and infants to the health centres.

She expressed the hope that the MAZA ambulances would help improve the health needs of the people in the district, particularly those living in communities far from the district capital.

The Chereponi District Health Director, Dr Stephen Dadia, commended MAZA for the initiative and expressed optimism that would contribute greatly to reducing infant and maternal deaths in the district.

Dr. Anita Appiah, who represented the National Catholic Health Service also commended efforts of MAZA to reduce avoidable deaths (including maternal and infants death) and bring healthcare to the door steps of the people.   

To achieve its vision, Maza continues to partner with the Ghana Health Service, Chereponi District Health Administration and the District Assembly, National Ambulance Service and National Catholic Health Service, as well as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. Others include development partners, local chiefs, opinion leaders, and other community members.

WE HAVE A DUTY

WE HAVE A DUTY TO ASK QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO ASK PAINFUL QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO INTERROGATE OUR PAST.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO RETHINK OUR ATTITUDE.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO QUESTION OUR PATRIOTISM.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO CHANGE OUR HEART.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO BE HUMAN BEINGS AGAIN.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO THE PEOPLE OF WORTH.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO STOP BEING POMPOUS BEGGARS.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO BE TRUE TO OURSELVES.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO KILL OUR GREED.
WE HAVE A DUTY TO ARREST THE BENIGN NEGLIGENCE NIBBLING AT OUR INCORRECT SMILE.
KOFI! IS AFI THERE?
TELL KASSIM AND ATIPO A NEW DAY OF DUTY IS HERE.
TELL THEM ALL THAT WE HAVE A DUTY TO BE TRUTHFULLY DUTIFUL TO BUILDING AKUA GHANA.

‪#‎JUSTTHINKINGALOUD‬# KYB

‘SDGs Implementation requires collective responsibility’

To ensure the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana, has reiterated the need for more stakeholder responsibility toward collective actions to attain the SDGs.

He said the “overwhelming endorsement of the Declaration and the 17 SDGs by the UN was an indication of the responsibility to act! Implementation is at the heart of the responsibility to act which must be manifest in concrete initiatives and allocation of resources”.

The Executive Secretary said these recently in a keynote address in Luxembourg at the climax of the European Year for Development and Luxembourg Presidency of the European Union Commission in 2015.

Mr. Akologo called for effective engagement in innovative partnership to implement the SDGs, noting that the imperative of partnerships that underpinned the unprecedented collective action and agreement of all the diverse International Financial Institutions (IFIs), comprising the global and regional development Funds and Banks, projection that the Post-2015 financing for Development will rise from Billions to Trillions, should characterise further deliberations leading to the implementation and attainment of the SDGs.

“This was a great innovation of partnership which further imposes a responsibility to act in the spirit of togetherness and to deliver the financial resources they projected for the implementation of the SDGs” he added.

To show commitment to the collective partnership in implementing the SDGs, Mr. Akologo expressed the need for the respective principal shareholders of the IFIs to begin defining a common purpose of financing for a people-centred development that will contribute to ending extreme poverty by 2030 in ways that will ‘leave no one behind’.

He also entreated Civil Society Organisations to engage the IFIs through effective and innovative advocacy actions, underpinned by dialogue to ensure that the responsibility to act by these IFIs on the development agenda remain paramount.

With the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) as the outcome for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in July 2015, which the United Nations Agenda 2030 recognised as the principal means of implementing the SDGs; Mr. Akologo also tasked major stakeholders at the UN Sustainable Development process   and Financing for Development to critically act together in partnership in all actions necessary and desirable to the implementation of the SDGs.

He observed that, another dimension of understanding the framework for the implementation of the SDGs is the inter-relationship with the just ended climate change conference in Paris.

“The Sustainable Development Goals were the principal reason and thus constitute the content of the Special United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in September this year 2015,” said Mr. Akologo, who added that the outcome document – Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development expresses global commitment to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, were adopted on 25^th September, 2015 by world leaders from 193 countries.

He said another dimension of understanding the framework for the implementation of the SDGs was the inter-relationship with the just ended climate change conference in Paris, and reiterated Pope Francis’ call on world leaders that Economic Justice, Care for our common home (the Earth) and Social Development can no longer be issues of separable concern.

The Executive Secretary therefore entreated civil society organisations and those in corporate business as well, to accept as a common ground and normative value for dialogue and partnership to work to advance economic justice, care for the environment and social development.

He suggested that stakeholders focused more clearly in defining and developing innovative partnerships around these five critical issues in goal 17 of SDG Framework.

Even though the Group of 77 and China have sponsored a resolution for the consideration of the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly on issues of implementation of the post-2015 development agenda, “we in civil society and other stakeholders need to make sure that the spirit of this resolution is consistent with principles of participation and partnership as defined by the SDG Framework” he added.

At the event were Ministers, Commissioners of the European Union and delegations from other countries, as well as a good representation from Caritas Europa and other civil society organisation.

*Mr. Zan Akologo, delivering his address.  

Media charged to improve accountability in Forestry

Professionals in the media industry have been urged to improve accountability in forest governance in Ghana to save the country from the loss of industry.

Mrs. Linda Ofori-Kwafo, Executive Secretary, Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, in a recent presentation at Koforidua, charged the media to be abreast with the areas of corruption in forestry and collaborate with other mandated institutions and organisations to fight the canker.

She observed that illegal logging and other forms of corruption in the forestry industry was causing the state to lose huge chunks of revenue, and tasked Journalists to go and uncover those shady deals and save the country from further losses.

The Executive Secretary who took the participant through strategies of whistleblowing and ways of fighting corruption, urged them to work in a team, study the legal provisions and be abreast with the various constitutional provisions for forestry governance in order to effectively go about their work.

She charged the media to be the change they want to see, to conduct thorough investigations, become effective in the area of their facilitation and put pressure on the state institutions to deliver. “In doing this make sure you don‘t get corrupted yourself” she added.

Similarly, Dr.  Emmanuel Marfo, Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, bemoaned the low media coverage given to forest governance issues, and noted the responsibility of the media to ensure greater accountability and transparency in the sector.

He said the media should for instance investigate whether communities in which concession were granted for companies for timber logging were benefiting from the Social Responsibility Agreement.

Stating that there was nothing like Special Permit in our laws, the Lecturer said “if we can stop the issuance of special permit, we will stop the illegalities in the industry”.

He therefore called for accountability and urged that the provisions in the statute books be made known to the stakeholders and public alike.

Dr. Marfo noted that under the current regime of sharing benefits of revenue generated from the forest resources, the farmer, who often tenders the trees and on whose farm the trees were felled receives nothing; and called for efforts to address the anomaly.    

Mr. Nehemiah Tettey Odjer-Bio, EU-SCIPFLEG Project Field Coordinator.
Friends of the Earth-Ghana, said it was important to help curtail illegal forestry activities in the country, adding that although the Non-Government Organisations were doing their part and urged the media to complement these efforts to ensure there was greater transparency and accountability in the management of our forest or suffer the consequence of our forest being wiped out in the country.

To make much impact, he entreated stakeholders under the Voluntary Partnership Arrangement (VPA) and the Forest Law Enforcement in Governance, to effectively play their roles to ensure accountability and transparency.

Participants at the end of the programme, pledged to build a vibrant network, work assiduously to unearth the ills and commend the good efforts in advanced in areas of forest governance.  

Steer the new path of Ghana’s progress

Journalists and Media Practitioners in Ghana have been charged to build lasting brands of themselves in order to offer quality professional services and steer the path of Ghana’s progress.

Dr. Nana Oppong, President of Distinguish Scholars of Africa (DINTSA), made the remarks when he led a training workshop for Journalists in the International Standards Journalism (ISJ) Certification Programme at the Accra International Conference.

The programme, the first of its kind in Ghana, seeks to train Journalists in the country to become top-notch professional who would champion excellence in Journalism and demand accountability and transparency in the socio-politico- economic development of the country.

It was organised by the DINTSA and Data Link Institute.

With the phenomenon of having an NDC and NPP nations, and several ethnic states in Ghana, Dr. Oppong bemoaned our weak allegiance to the country, arguing that “we need people who love Ghana; we need dedicated people in Ghana.”

He observed that we have to change the way we conduct politics in Ghana, and charged Journalist to be at the forefront to steer the path of new progress in the country.

Describing the programme as signifying the Birth of a new chapter in Ghana’s Journalism, Dr Oppong, tasked Journalists to do something new and nationalistic that would rekindle the spirit of nationalism and patriotism among Ghanaians, and inspire a new sense of ‘Ghanaianess’ among our people.

To effectively perform this role, he urged Journalists to sharpen their skills, acquire requisite knowledge and build their competence in order to deliver.

The main Facilitator, who took participants through five critical areas of applied knowledge and democratic governance: economics, law, intelligence, politics and society (E-LIPS), stated that understanding these basic areas was vital to making them excel in their careers.

Dr. Opong, touched on the poor conditions of service of journalists in the country, and observed that it was about time Media Processionals in Ghana received good professional fees, adding that the ‘soli’ or honorarium paid them was woefully inadequate.

“Create a product or service, add a different touch to your journalism and start charging for your services,” he noted, and advocated for standard payment for journalists.  

He advised media professional to build effective networks that will help them champion their professional course.

Hon. David Yeboah, MP, said that people become remarkable when they believe in themselves go far, adding that it takes courage for someone to run this programme. He commended the good works and efforts of Dr. Oppong.

Similarly, Hon. Owusu Boateng, MP for Akyem Akroso Constituency, expressed worry about monetisation in politics and highlighted the need for Ghanaians to be selfless and work for the common good. He said education was key in the answer to the mired challenges in our country but urged the educated to give back to the society.

He said “you need education and skills to rise,” entreating media practitioners to keep on learning and use their intelligence to better serve society.

The ISJ is informed by relevant competence in five critical areas of applied knowledge and democratic governance in E-LIPS.  

The Distinguished Scholars of Africa and Data Link Institute have developed a scientific, strategic, comprehensive and yet fast-tracked ISJ programme for journalists and would-be-journalists, which promises to enhance competence leading to national, international competitiveness and professionalism, prestige as well as employment and networking opportunities for participants.

The certification in international standards journalism is part of the learned heart programme of the Distinguished Scholars of Africa and Data Link Institute for strategic capacity-building of journalism and support for enhanced democracy in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Participants at the programme, pledged to further the excellence in the profession and make journalism the bastion of change in Ghana and Africa.  

‘Do the right thing’-Bishop Afoakwah charges Ghanaians

*Bishop Afoakwah with concelebrating Priests and some Seminarians.

Most Rev. John Yaw Afoakwah, Catholic Bishop of Obuasi, has tasked Christians and Ghanaians

to do the right things at all times, to ensure greater discipline and development of the country.

As people destine for glory, he said Christians should not relent in their efforts when faced with challenges, but should always strive in hope and persevere in their works and prayers to attain the glory.

Bishop Afoakwah said this in a homily when he recently presided over a Mass at the St. Peter’s Regional Seminary at Pedu, for the Admission to Candidacy for Ordination and the Institution of Acolytes at the Seminary for some seminarians.

In spite of the many problems and persecution that they may suffer, the prelate entreated Christians never to forget they were destined for glory and should therefore look up to Christ Jesus as their ideal in their lives.

The Bishop, quoting from chapter 12 of St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, cautioned the seminarians and Christians at large not to conform to the dictates of the contemporary world but to model their lives unto Christ Jesus and let the renewal of their minds transform them to always discern the will of God.

“Blessed are the rich and powerful for they shall have their way at all times” he ridiculed, to portray the sad state of affairs in our country, and decried the instance where Jesus Christ’s Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), which forms the basis of righteousness were being revised and rewritten to suit our social comfort.

He therefore called for radical Christianity that would help transform our society and spread the good news everywhere. 

“Dare to be different in living your faith” said the Bishop, who noted that we are all children of God and small saints on earth, required to lead worthy lives and be steadfast in prayers.

In all, 46 candidates who were Admitted to Candidacy for Ordination were vested in white cassocks which the Bishop blessed, while the 56 candidates who were Instituted as Acolytes (Extra-Ordinary Ministers of the Holy Communion) were also presented with the Chalice.

Bishop Afoakwah, urged the seminarians to let their lives must inspire sanctity every time.   

In a welcome, Very Rev. Robert Charles Snyper, Acting Rector of the Seminary, highlighted the essence of the Mass in the formation of the Seminarians and thanked Bishop Afoakwah for his time.

Very Fr. Christopher Vordzorgbe, Senior Lecturer, in an interview, urged the faithful to continuously support the Seminarians with prayers and words of encouragement, as well as contribute financially to their welfare all the time.

Present at the Mass were relatives, friends and well-wishers of the seminarians as well as Priests, Religious, Societies and Confraternities from the various Churches the Seminarians were coming.

PFA makes significant strides

The Project Five Alive!(PFA), a seven-year initiative to assist ongoing efforts to reduce death in children below ages five in Ghana, using quality improvement methods in health system, has recorded remarkable gains in saving many lives of infants.

At the closing ceremony of the Project in Accra on Monday, Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, Senior Technical Director of the Project, sharing some reflections on the impact of the initiative, stated that as of April 2015, the under-five mortality rates in 140 health facilities the project worked with nationally had reduced by 32 percent.

He expressed hope that Quality Improvement (QI) methods used during the project will transcend every facet of national health delivery, noting that a National Quality Forum will be a stepping stone to further ensure QI works in Ghana.

To intensify the QI practice in health facilities, Dr. Sodzi-Tettey called on authorities to redefine the roles of the 400 Improvement Coaches the PFA trained, to help ensure the adherence of quality improvement measures to improve effective health delivery to patients.

He said as the influence of patient communities grows, it must be accounted for in programming, adding that effective community engagement can help solve small problems associated with projects.

“Quality Improvement alone was not enough, but quality planning, quality control and quality improvement integration is key” to ensure success of health interventions in the country, Dr. Sodzi-Tettey observed.         

Project Fives Alive! is a partnership between the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) to reduce morbidity and mortality in children less than five years old (Under-5) and also improve faulty referral processes in maternal and newborn care in Ghana.

Project Fives Alive! officially launched on July 8, 2008, in three districts in northern Ghana, was a seven year project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the collaborative work between IHI, NCHS, and the Ghana Health Service to achieve the objectives of the project which was implemented in four consecutive waves (phases) in all regions of Ghana.

Mr. George A. Adjei, Director of NCHS, in a presentation, described the PFA project as special and complex, in terms of its design, duration and strategy, which started in three selected sub-districts, extending to districts and then to all regions of Ghana.

He summarized the experience of the project as challenging, gratifying and inspiring, stating that the results at the end, the project contributed immensely to reducing under-five mortality in Ghana.

The Director said the project was inspirational in that it has taught the personnel skills of improvement science, adding that the NCHS has adopted it as a business strategy, which has been applied in the NHIS billing and claims management and to improve on the pass rate of students in the Midwifery training colleges under NHCS, with remarkable results.

He said the project was also inspiring because it has heightened appreciation of data to tract performance for managers at all level, as well as re-awakened the “do-it-yourself” spirit among managers that has enable them not to wait to be told what needed to be done to fix system bottlenecks.          

Touching on the challenges of the project, Mr. Adjei, noted that the national focus of PFA, and managing staff and resources at different sites from Accra, Tamale and later in Kumasi offices was a challenge; adding it challenging “working with partners from different cultural, ethical and national orientations which sometimes brought little tensions from time to time.” 

He thanked the partners and all past and present staff, who worked and ensured the success of the project, stressing that though the project had closed, it bequeathed to individuals, service providers and country the ideology of Quality Improvement, which gives a new impetus to apply Continuous Quality Improvement methods in all facets of life.

“What we require is the discipline to continue using data to guide our decisions and interventions,” he added.

Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua and Bishop responsible for Health, who Co-chaired the function, commended the staff and the partners in their commitment that contributed to the success of the project for the past years.

He noted that though the project was ending with poignant lessons and the impact made in saving lives, its continuity was paramount to ensure quality improvement in healthcare delivery to patients.

Prof. Pierre Barker, Senior Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, who co-chaired the function, reminiscing exciting experiences during visits to some project sites, thanked all partners and staff for their tireless efforts in making the project a success.

“The project was largely successful with a combination of hard work and faith in God,” he added.     

Dr. Nana Twum-Danso, Former Director of the Project in a brief remark recounted the cordiality that existed among the staff, adding that the project was the most challenging in her professional experience, but added it was the most rewarding.                

She commended the wonderful collaboration that existed between partners on the project; the stimulating mental exercise that brought to bear the wealth of creativity among staff and also the effective team spirit fostered, which helped them to adopt new ideas to adjust designs that ensured the overall success of PFA. 

Some staffs who shared their experiences touched on the challenging lessons PFA taught them and the inspiring opportunity the project gave them to contribute to efforts at saving lives of infants.

Certificates and Souvenirs were presented to staff in appreciation for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the success of Project Fives Alive.     

By applying QI methods, Project Fives Alive! sought to assist and accelerate Ghana’s faith-based and public health services to reach the country’s fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing mortality in children under-5 from an estimated 110 per 1000 live births to less than 40 per 1000 live births (66% decrease) by 2015

Secondly, the core QI framework upon which the project was designed was the Model for Improvement, which enabled the project staff and the local QI teams with whom they work to set aims, identify process failures and develop, test and assess whether changes were leading to improvements.

The Improvement Collaborative Network, which accelerates peer-to-peer learning and improvement on a large scale, was an integral part of the project’s design. Thus in every four to six months, the local QI teams convene at a Learning Session to acquire QI knowledge and skills, and to share their QI experiences and learn from their peers’ successes and challenges. They therefore apply what they have learned during the intervening Activity Periods, with support from their district managers and the project staff who visit them monthly to assist with development and testing of change ideas, and implementation and sustainability of successful changes.