Sustain empowerment of PWDs in Ghana

His Excellency Andrew Barnes, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana has called for sustained efforts of all stakeholders in empowering persons with disability in the country, to enable them contribute their quota to national development.

He recognised that understanding the challenges of disability, giving favourable systems, supporting and improving services, to persons with disability could help them make enormous contributions to national development.

He made these remarks at the commissioning of a 10-bedroom recovery ward for male amputees receiving medical treatment at the Orthopaedic Training Centre (OTC) at Adoagyiri, Nsawam in the Koforidua Diocese.

The project, estimated at a cost of 60,000 Australian dollars (GH₵180, 792), and funded by the Direct Aid Programme of the Australian Government, formed part of the Australian government’s consistent contributions toward disability inclusion in Ghana.

Each room is well furnished with two beds, toilet and bath as well as other required accessories to aid rapid recovery for the beneficiaries, as well as provide a conducive accommodation for male amputee patients at the facility.

The High Commissioner said the Austrialian Government’s consistent, “albeit modest, contributions in the area of disability are in line with the Australian Government’s commitment to empower people with disabilities and to ensure that development leaves no one behind”.

“This is why we are also pleased to be able to support this and other quality initiatives that aim to minimise and reduce barriers, improve service delivery and the lives of people with disability” he noted.

Mr Barnes stressed: “It is therefore truly an honour for us to be able to partner with organisations like the OTC to bring hope and smiles to people with disabilities and our partnership makes it possible for us to support and further Australia’s objectives of ensuring inclusive development in developing countries,”

The High Commissioner commended management and staff of the OTC for their commitment and support to people living with disability, adding that “we give due recognition and express our heartfelt appreciation to the staff of OTC and all others who have made it their mission to help improve the situation and lives of people with disability.”

Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua Diocese, commended the OTC for the wonderful service it was rendering to persons with disability in the country.

“Had it not been for the establishment of the OTC, many amputees in Ghana would have been confined to their family homes or loiter on the streets soliciting for alms instead of living decent lives” he observed.

He commended the late Bro. Tarcecious the founder of the facility for his vision, which he noted has been upheld by management and staff, some of who were victims of amputation.

According him, the centre generated no income but rather spent on many beneficiaries’ amputees regardless of their religion, gender and backgrounds.

In her address, Rev. Sr. Elisabeth Newman, SSND, Directress of OTC, noted that of the 10 per cent of people with disability in the world, eight per cent lived in developing countries, including Ghana, where 31.6 percent of the disability population in Ghana had physical disability.

Sr Newman said the lack of accurate data made it difficult to know precisely how many amputates were in Ghana, but noted that the growing number of amputees in the country caused by accidents and industrial accidents was “frightening.”

She expressed worry over the lack of statistics on amputees in the country and called for proper measure to ensure the accurate data of the PWDs so their needs could be best served.

As part of the programme a well-furnished ward to cater for children with cerebral palsy was also outdoor. With this new Ward Sr. Newman noted that OTC wants to advance care to the children suffering from these special condition.

Disability Fund for GFD

The Ghana Federation of the Disability Organisations (GFD) is poised to launch the Disability Endowment Fund, come 5^th December 2017, at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, to sustain its numerous projects and programmes.

The Fund would support GFD in its advocacy work for the rights of Persons with Disability (PWD), and build the capacity and strengthen the organisations of Persons with Disabilities in all 200 districts across the country.

According to Mrs. Beatrice Akua Mahmood, Project Coordinator of GFD, the Endowment Fund will support persons with disabilities discover their potentials and live their dreams, as well as help them contribute to national development.

Stating that “Disability is not inability”, She appealed to well-meaning Ghanaians, Cooperate Ghana, philanthropists, and well-wishers to support the fund either in kind or cash, to enable the Federation reach out to more persons with disabilities in the country.

She noted that contribution to the fund, among other areas, will help promote access to inclusive education, by identifying those with special needs, enrolling and maintaining children with disabilities in school.

In addition, part of the fund would support the Federation’s advocacy for inclusive education and healthcare delivery systems so that PWD’s could access education and healthcare services without challenges.

Why the Fund?

The Project Coordinator explained that the Fund is being introduced at a time donor support was dwindling, and the increasing need to sustain the implementation of GFD programmes and projects as well as replicate them across the 200 Districts in the country.

She also observed that the Fund would assist all eight (8) member organisations of the GFD in their programmes, support, train and equip PWDs with employable skills as well as facilitate their employment into the public and private sectors through advocacy.   

Target Groups

The beneficiaries of the Fund include all Persons with Disabilities in Ghana, and those drawn from the eight member organisations of GFD, comprising the Ghana Blind Union, Ghana National Association of the Deaf, Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled, Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism, and the Mental Health Society of Ghana,

Others are Inclusion Ghana – a group of people with intellectual disability, Share Care Ghana – a group of people with auto-immune and neurological disorders, and Burns Survivors Association.

The Federation also works with persons with deaf-blindness and leprosy, and handles general disability issues whilst its member organisations focus on their specific disability needs.

Mission
With a vision of ensuring an inclusive society for all persons with disabilities in Ghana”, GFD declares it commitment to advocate the rights of Persons with Disability by influencing policies, programmes and activities at the national and local levels and to strengthen the organisations of Persons with Disabilities.

Achievements
The Federation which marks its 30^th Anniversary in this year, has succeeded in influencing the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in Ghana’s Elections, through the introduction of tactile ballot system by Electoral Commission of Ghana. This has enhanced blind persons to cast their vote independently in the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 national elections.

Again the registration and voting of persons with psychosocial disabilities in psychiatric hospitals the 2012 and 2016 general elections, was made possible through GFD’s efforts.

Similarly, through its advocacy GFD has led to the enactment of the Persons with Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) and Mental Health Act, Act 846, 2012 as well as Ghana’s ratification of the UN convention on the rights of Persons with Disability. 

The allocation of 3% of the District Assembly Common Fund to PWD’s, with guidelines for the management, disbursement, utilization, and accountability for the fund was the result of GFD’s effort.

To support the Fund, please call: 0302240530 and 0240867200

Promote Ecumenism in West Africa-Priests charged

The dignitaries with delegates

Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra has challenged Catholic Priests in the West African Sub-Region to commit to efforts to promote Ecumenism that would foster growth of development in member countries.

Calling Priests to be missionaries to Africa, he urged them to lead efforts in interreligious affairs, as well as be at the forefront in building effective relations with civil authorities in the sub-region to engender peace and help address the challenges confronting many countries of West Africa and Africa at large.

The Archbishop, made the observation at the opening of the 5^th Congress of Regional Union of Priests of West Africa at Koforidua, and entreated Priests to collaborate more with their Bishops to ensure the attainment of growth and development.

He re-echoed the call of Pope Paul VI to African Priests at Kamapala in 1969 at the formation of SECAM, for Priests to be missionaries to Africans and to reach to the world.

 “Start looking at yourselves as missionaries to yourselves” the Archbishop said, urging Priests to be concerned with the happening in the universal Church.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, Most Rev. Jean Marie Spiech in address urged Priests to look at Mary as their mother in discharge of their roles, entreating them to heed the invitation of the Church to love and venerate Mary by imitating her virtues.

He said SINCE the Blessed Virgin Mary was a perfect mother for Priests, they should reflect on her tender care in the pilgrimage of our faith.

The delegates

In an address, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Martin Onukwuba, President of RUPWA, recounted that the birth of the association dates to November 2012, with a directives of Bishops of the joint Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) to Priest from 11 countries within the sub region to hold a Constitutive Assembly of the Association.

He commended the Government and people of Ghana for the warm reception accorded the delegates, and commended the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) for the preaching peace and their support of development of the country.

“For us to gather and operate on this level suggest that we want to contribute our quota to the development of our region” he said.

Most Rev. Michael Ekwoy Apochi, Bishop of Otupo and Episcopal Chairman of the RUPWA, assured the Priests of the support of the Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa in their celebration at the Congress. 

He thanked the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Archdiocese of Accra and the Diocese of Koforidua for their efforts in hosting the Congress. 

Opening the Congress, Very Rev. Prof. Francis Appiah-Kubi, President of National Union of Ghana Priest Associations (NUGPA), said even though they are religious and Priests, they were concerned about the regional integration of West African Countries.

He touched on the theme for the conference, “Behold Your Mother: Mary in the Heart of Priestly Ministry”, explained that as Children of Mary, through whom the Church 

The Congress attracted over 50 delegates from 12 member countries of the West African Region.  They include delegates from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, The Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo and Ghana.

  

LET'S TALK ABOUT PUBLIC ANGER

This guy was beaten mercilessly at the Kaneshie Market for STEALING GH¢1.50p the other day, perhaps he was not smart enough.
But you're there enjoying your post and superintending over malfeasance and you think the public will spare you when they get you.
I won't tell you how to govern or conduct your affairs, because you know too well the rules of the game and how to explain or justify your actions. However, I don't know how much you value integrity, reputation, respect and the  goodwill of the your people. I don't know whether you know or you care to know about the fact that public trust in your office is at its lowest?
If I were you, I would do my best and avoid repeating the mistakes of my predecessor, because the danger you face now is managing an eminent PUBLIC ANGER waiting to explode.
Maybe we are taking ourselves for granted and not listening to the silent whispers of the marginalised people.
Maybe we think of our people as second grade human beings and don't care much about their welfare. In singing  the patriotic ideals in our ethos, please be reminded that the people are watching.
Our society certainly needs a system re-engineering that will satisfactorily address our NEEDS.  Thanks for reading.
My names are Kwesi Yirenkyi Boateng.
I have spoken.

Advocate for inclusive Development

Bishop Baawobr with the participants

Most Rev. Richard Kuuia Baawobr, M.Afr., Catholic Bishop of Wa, has called on Ghanaians especially Christians to reflect on the plight of the socially excluded including the poor, and think of ways to reach out to them.

The Bishop urged Parishes throughout the country, particularly those in the Wa Diocese to use the World Day of the Poor (Sunday November 19) to rethink inclusive development to address the plight of the poor in the country.

He made these observation during the opening of a National Seminar on ‘Ensure No One is Left Behind’ in Ghana’s Implementation of the SDGs, organised by Caritas Ghana with support from Sightsavers, Caritas Africa, MAREDES and the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, at the Catholic Guest House,Tiegber in Wa on Thursday.

Bishop Baawobr speaking at the Seminar

The Bishop who expressed worry at the deplorable conditions of the poor, marginalised, and mentally challenged, entreated stakeholders to make effective and inclusive planning to ensure that no one was left behind in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“The SDGs can bring real change provided all the stakeholders work at ensuring that every individual achieves the full package of rights and opportunities the SDGs express” he said.

Describing the Seminar as a heart-warming one, Bishop Baawobr, expressed optimism that “stakeholders in the implementation of the SDGs will find and agree on what to do to so that no region or people or category of people is left behind or worst still is exploited in the process”.

Pope Francis recently named the thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary time (November 19) the World Day of the Poor to help the Catholics and people reflect on plight of the poor in our society.

In his exhortation to mark the celebration of the Day, the Pope said: ‘If we want to help change history and promote real development, we need to hear the cry of the poor and commit ourselves to ending their marginalization’.

To this end, Very Rev. Fr. Daniel F. Saaka, Vice Rector at the St. Victor’s Seminary, Tamale, urged Parishes to give prominence to the World Day of the Poor and use the occasion to champion the course of the poor and vulnerable, whilst impacting on their lives in the communities.

He challenged Catholic Charities to continue making preferential options for the poor, and support the vulnerable, especially those, whose lives and property are under threat.

“The call for solidarity with the poor, is very significant” he stressed, entreating the Church to pay more attention to issues of child labour or trafficking, waste management, care for the environment and check the culture of waste.

In a statement, Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana, observed that incidences in our country of defilement of minors and disruptions to the school feeding programme in some very poor communities that left children without their daily ration of food were signs of a weakening system of protection for the vulnerable.

Decrying the elusive and scanty action given to social protection in the country, he called for a push for demonstrable commitment by public policy actors and architects of national development plans to ensure social protection issues were adequately catered for.

“It is no longer acceptable that the weak, poor, marginalised and vulnerable in society are an after-thought of planned policies and development programmes” he declared.

He explained that the principle to ‘Ensure No One is Left Behind’ meant a conscious policy and programming direction that aims to reach first those furthest behind or at the periphery of society.

Mr. Akologo noted that the seminar, a continuity of Caritas Ghana work last year, to assess the status of Ghana’s implementation of the SDGs and dialogue to ensure that everyone, and especially the poor themselves, understand how they will be accounted for when measuring progress with the SDGs.

Madam Grace Antwi-Atsu, Global Advocacy Advisor at Sightsavers, noted that her organisation was working together with partners, including Caritas Ghana to ensure that no one was left behind in the implementation of the SDGs.

This was after the realisation that most Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), who make up 15 % of the world population, were not systematically included in the progress made against Millennium Development Goals.

To make the biggest impact by 2030, Madam Antwi-Atsu said Sightsavers seeks new alliances and partnerships, as well as use advocacy to ensure no one was left behind.

She called for evidence based advocacy, and entreated funders, non-profits, and other civil society groups to maintain pressure on governments to include PWDs and all marginalised in their development plans.

Notwithstanding the considerable economic growth and reduction of poverty over the years, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in a speech read for her stated that persistent economic and social inequalities calls for the intensification, harmonisation and sustenance of interventions to deal with the problems.

She said poverty which has been halfed from 56.5% to 24.2% nationally from 1992 to 2013, was still rife in the three Northern Regions, with Upper West recording 70%.

She noted that though efforts were being made to increase women participation in the political front, increase women access to MASLOC to improve their women financial status, among others, Government would collaborate with Caritas Ghana and other development partners to provide more interventions to bridge the poverty gap.

Over 45 participants drawn from MAREDES, Ghana Federation of Disable, Diocesan Development Officers, as well as Civil Society groups attended the two-day Seminar.

‘Make Mental Health your business’

Ghanaians have been entreated to examine their attitude to persons with disability in the country, particularly persons with mental disability, and rethink how they relate with them.

Mr. Yaro

Participants at the just ended National Seminar on ‘Ensure No One is Left Behind’ in Ghana’s Implementation of the SDGs in the Upper West Regional Capital, Wa, appealed to Ghanaians to seek ways to support Persons with Mental Disability, and reduce the stigma against them.

They underscored the need for every Ghanaian to take mental health issues seriously and work to support persons exhibiting symptoms of mental illness.

Various participants have pledged their commitment to support sensitise the public on mental illness, extend support to the mentality challenged

The Marshallan Relief and Development Services (MAREDES) in a presentation on ‘Leave No One Behind’ Ensuring People with Mental Illness are catered for in Development Processes, called for concrete steps to take care for the persons suffering from Mental Illness.

Commenting on Mental Health Situation in Ghana, Mr. Peter Yaro, MAREDES, estimates that 10.1% of Ghanaians have mild to moderate mental disorders, adding that a further 650,000 are suffering from severe mental illnesses.

He expressed worry about the fact that Mental health care in Ghana is overly medicalised, specialised and centralised, and called for the integration of mental care, increase in non-drug therapeutic services as well as self-care and community mental health at Public Health Care level in Hospitals.

Section of the Participants

Mr. Yaro bemoaned the low budgetary portion to Mental Health in the National Health budget, stressing that “the less than 10% of health budget allocated to mental health, with the available allocation going to mainly the psychiatric hospitals and personal emoluments of the workers was woefully inadequate.

With increasing trend of mental illness among the Ghanaian population, Mr. Yaro expressed the need for the training of more expert in the mental health, adding that current 15 Psychiatrists and 12 Clinical Psychologists in the country were underserving the people.

Participants expressed worry at the 98% treatment gap for mental illness in the country and called for a collective and concerted efforts to address reduce the treatment gap and ensure their inclusion in development plans. 

They noted that stigma, negative perceptions, fear, helplessness, poor attitudes towards mental illness, as well as inadequate infrastructure and service policy was affecting the delivery of mental illness and epilepsy in the country.

Non-State Actors in Ghana working to address Mental Health in Ghana, include Basic Needs-Ghana, the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), the MAREDES, the Mental Health Society of Ghana (MEHSOG), and the Centre for People’s Empowerment and Rights Initiatives and others.

They are engaged in advocacy to address right to treatment, human rights highlighting non-discrimination, no stigma and no abuse, and adequate budgetary allocation for mental health, and policies and programmes inclusive of the needs and rights of persons with mental health and epilepsy care needs.

However, Mr. Alexander Bankole Williams of the Ghana Federation of Disability (GFD), noted that the discrimination against persons with disability in the country was more attitudinal, and called for change in our attitude in order to end the stigma to persons with mental illness, since they are also human beings.

Champion Mental Health at Workplaces-CHAG

With increasing cases of mental health related illnesses in the country, the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), is urging organisations to take a critical look at mental health and promote it at their workplaces.

Dr. James Duah

Dr. James Duah, Deputy Executive Director of CHAG touched on the relevance of metal health at the work place in order to ensure productivity of the employees, adding that poor performance of worker who hitherto were at their peak, could be related to Mental Illness.

He made the appeal at the St. Joseph Hospital, Effiduase, Koforidua, during a CHAG/UKAID Training Workshop on the Management of Mentally Ill Persons for Faith-Based/Prayer Camp Leaders and Traditional Healers in the Eastern Region.

The Deputy Executive Director, stated that delusions, depression, suicidal tendencies, isolation or quietness, hallucination and one’s inability to cope with the normal daily stress of life, as well as hampered ability to relate well with others, were some symptoms that suggests that people were suffering from mental illness.

Noting that one out of four (4) persons in Ghana were at risk of being mentally ill, Dr. Duah, observed that society was becoming chaotic because we often fail to detect the symptoms of mental illness in people.

He also noted that the burden of mental illness in Ghana was 13%, adding that about 41% of Ghanaians were having one psychological problem.

In managing the cases, Dr. Duah, called on Ghanaians to support the treatment of persons suffering from mental illnesses, stressing that a lot of mental health issues needed physical therapy and psychosocial support.

He noted that the Faith based groups, traditional healers, prayer camps leaders and other stakeholders could help in reassuring and counselling patients, as well as refer them to health facilities for them to be attended to.

The Deputy Executive Director in acknowledging the enormous challenge mental illness poses to everyone in the country, urged Ghanaians to focus on it, since it affected everyone.

Rev. Br. Johannes Torwoe, Superior of the St. John of God Brothers at Koforidua, who chaired the function, encouraged Ghanaians to undertake regular health check, be prayerful, not to drink when faced with problems, love one another, and be each other’s keeper.

He urged people to also watch out for the early warning signs of mental illness, and connect to care or refer them to health facilities.

Dr. Duah addressing the participants

Mr. Victus Kwaku Kpessese, Executive Secretary of Health for the Koforidua Diocese and the Local CHAG Chairman, urged participants to work together to promote mental health in the Eastern Region.

He suggested the creation of a platform to address the challenges and question bothering on mental health or those that may arise during care provision.      

About 500 participants attended the training workshop, sponsored by the UKAID. Among them were operators of Prayer Camps and Traditional Healers in rural areas; Mental Health Nurses and Chaplains drawn from CHAG facilities in the Eastern Region, as well as some managers of the health facilities.

The participants shared some experiences and expressed their gratitude for the knowledge learnt, which they say would go a long way to impact on their operations.

At the programme, Dr. Duah, also launched the Golden Jubilee of CHAG, while paying glowing tributes to the founding members of the Association and commending their commitment and sacrifices in living their roles that has contributed to the success of CHAG.

Collective efforts needed to manage e-waste

Logo of the Project

Ghanaians were entreated to support Caritas Ghana’s initiative to manage electronic waste in the country in order to curtail the toxic generated in the process and preserve our environment for future generation.

Mr. Kenneth Ashigbey, out-going Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Ltd, made the appeal at the launch of the project in Accra and challenged Ghanaians to do their little best to save the earth from destruction.

He expressed worry about the way greed and avarice was driving people to destroy our water bodies and environment, stressing the need for all to work together to save it from further destruction.

Mr. Ashigbey, said the tag of Agblogbloshie as the dirtiest place on earth, was a great indictment on Ghana. How did we get there? How did we allow ourselves to get into this abyss? He questioned

Stating that Caritas Ghana was offering Ghanaians the chance to address the e-waste menace, the Managing Director said it was a good project that provide our people in rural and peri-urban areas access with clean water supply, as well as solar lamps for use.

He called for collective efforts to turn the tide around, in the proper management of electronic waste, whilst leveraging the gains to support the poor.

With the launch of the project, Caritas Ghana and its partners will focus on collecting, managing and selling e-waste by-products to curb the poison emitted into the environment, and support livelihoods of poor in the rural areas by providing clean water and renewable energy source.

Shedding more light on the project, Mr. Samuel Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana and Department of Human Development of the National Catholic Secretariat(NCS), noted that his outfit will undertake advocacy for adequate policy response to “address looming health and environmental calamity of e-waste”.

He said Caritas Ghana will also embark on nation-wide public education ad sensitisation for behavioural and attitudinal change on disposal of e-waste, as well as set-up actual collection ccetres of e-waste for proper recycling. 

To this end, Mr Akologo stated that Caritas Ghana and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) signed a Memorandum of Intention for Technical Support to build capacity of people to be engaged in the collection and recycling of e-waste.

Besides “a number of Companies, by their sponsorship of this programme and other on-going discussions, are willing to and have actually signaled their support for this cause” he stated.

By the project, the Executive Secretary declared the intention of Caritas Ghana, “to set-up the e-waste management as a social enterprise venture whereby the collection, management and sale of the by-products from e-waste will generate income to support other social needs of very deprived communities and the poor”.

He explained that proceeds of the sale of e-waste by-products would be used to purchase water purification systems for improved sanitation in rural and peri-urban communities for the poor and needy; particularly children and women, and to provide solar lamps for rural communities, without electricity which replaces harmful toxic fumes from kerosene lamps.

Mr Markus Spitzbart, Head of Programme, Sustainable Management and Disposal of E-Waste at the GIZ in Ghana, stated that the social recycling business that Caritas Ghana seeks to set-up will provide an ideal institutional and company framework, where eco-levies charged to the manufacturers and importers, could be used to ensure environmentally sound e-waste recycling.

He however, appealed to the Ghana Government to establish legal framework to ensure the proper working of the recycling fund.

At the launched, renowned Gospel Artiste Mary Ghansah, performed a song for the programme, that rallies support from people to embrace the call to save our environment from destruction.  

Ambassador Kabral Blay Amihere, Chairman of the launch, urged Ghanaians to perform good works, by preserving our water bodies and protecting our environment.

Whilst commending Caritas Ghana for starting this initiatives, he challenged the media to join the campaign in promoting the enterprise, and appealed to the Government to reduce taxes on materials to be used in the production of filters for portable water and renewable energy sources.

Present at the functions were Very Fr. Lazarus Anondee, Secretary General of the National Catholic Secretariat (NCS), Rev. Frs. Wisdom Larweh, and Duiedonne K. Davor, Assistant Secretary General and the Executive Secretary of the Department of Social Communications respectively at the NCS, as well as sponsors and partners of the project.    

NCHS celebrates Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum

The thunderous applauds by dignitaries and participants signified the cheerful approval of Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum’s steadfast commitment and remarkable service to the advancement of the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS).

As Bishop responsible for Health, for the past seven years, he undertook several initiatives and championed efforts to improve quality and affordable healthcare delivery to Ghanaians.

For his efforts, the NCHS honoured him with a plaque and a gift, at the just ended 15^th Annual Conference held at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo-Region.

The prelate, who also heads the Catholic Diocese of Koforidua, worked tirelessly to promote and advance the work of the NCHS in many areas.

According to Mr. George A. Adjei, Director of the NCHS, the Bishop did a lot to improve the work of the NCHS in the past seven years he served as Bishop Responsible for Health.

He commended him for his efforts in visiting many NCHS facilities in some parts of the country, and expressed gratitude to him for his willingness to promote health delivery in the country.

Similarly, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, new Episcopal Chairman for Health, extolled Bishop Afrifah Agyekum for his support and dedication to the growth of NCHS for the past seven years.

Bishop Fianu acknowledged his predecessor for his work in health care delivery and “also for agreeing to a slow handover process of this portfolio”.

In a valedictory remark, Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum reminisced moments when he was first appointed the Episcopal Chairman for Health, by the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), stating that “I thought I was in a wonderland.”

But after seven years he noted that “it has been both eventful and a rare experience” and thanked the frontline staff of NCHS, working in remote areas, for braving the odds to work and making the best out of difficult situations.

During his tenure, the Prelate paid a duty tour of NCHS facilities in nine Arch/Dioceses and observed the limited resources at the disposal of health facilities and the circumstances some of the staff were working under. “The learning experience is so phenomenal” he said. 

Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum who doubles as the Bishop of Koforidua commended the Director of the Directorate of Health at the NCHS and his team, Members of the Medical Ethics Commission, past and present members’ representative of the Bishops’ Conference on the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) Board, the Health Service Managers. “You were my Teachers and you guided me throughout my tenure” he observed.     

He entreated his successor to ensure the continuity of initiatives such as the Pool Procurement Programme, started in 2011 and the sustenance of the Catholic Medicines Centre at the National Catholic Secretariat, as well as the improvement in the management of NCHS facilities throughout the country.

He urged the NCHS to develop and register as a Trust with its own governance body that reports to the GCBC, which will enable the centralization of some major policies, so that with the approval of the Conference decisions and policies will become binding on all NCHS facilities in the country.

The registration of NCHS as a Trust, will “promote our unity and get our managers to comply with decisions and directives of the Conference” Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum argued.

Whilst pledging his resolute support to the work of the NCHS, the immediate past Bishop Responsible for Health expressed appreciation to all those who hosted them during their visits to NCHS facilities in the nine Arch/Dioceses.

Dr. Akrofi-Mantey, others honoured

The National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) has recognised Dr. Ebenezer Akrofi-Mantey, Principal Medical Officer at the St. Joseph Hospital, Effiduase, Koforidua in the Eastern Region, for his long outstanding service to humanity.

The award was conferred on him as the Best Worker, Senior Category at the 15^th NCHS Annual Conference at Sunyani, alongside others, for his dedicated service to NCHS for the past 26 years.

Born in 1956, Dr. Akrofi-Mantey completed the University of Ghana Medical School, Legon with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB. ChB) Degree in 1987.

He was first appointed to the Effia-Nkwanta Government Hospital, Takoradi, as Medical Officer between 1989 and 1991, after successfully completing an internship at the Paediatrics and Surgery Unit of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital between 1987 and 1988.

With an aura of simplicity and simplicity, awardee was noted for his dutiful and enthusiastic service at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Surgical and Casualty Departments of the Effia- Nkwanta Regional Hospital, with exceptional selflessness.

He was nicknamed ‘One-man Station’ during his seven years work as the Medical Officer in-charge (1991-1998) at the Fr. Alan Rooney Memorial Hospital at Asankragwa; where he was reputed to have discharged responsibilities of leading general administration, performed basic general surgeries and obstetric and gynaecological procedures.

Dr. Akrofi-Mantey, also served as a Senior and later as Principal Medical Officer at the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua with a great sense of volunteerism, he took relieving duties in affiliate facilities of the St. John of God Brothers in Africa.

To this end, he offered a three-month medical assistance at the St. John of God Hospital, Nguti, Cameroun in 2001, and also served at the St. John of God Hospital, Sefwi-Asafo.

The Awardee trained at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 2004, where he earned a Master of Tropical Paediatrics and was also awarded a certificate in the World Health Organisation course management of malnutrition in hospitals.

His strong leadership skills transformed and developed the newly established Obstetrics and Gynaecology unit at the St. Joseph Hospital during he served as the Medical Superintendent at the St. Joseph Hospital from 2008 and 2015.

As a professional who dedication offers inspiration for sustainability of health care delivery, he was adjudged the Best Senior (2016) at the St. Joseph Hospital and the Best Koforidua Diocesan Staff, Senior Category Excellence Award in February 2017.

Likewise, Mr. Jude Napaala, an Anaesthesia Assistant, who has worked with the NCHS for the past 17 years was adjudged the Best Worker, Junior Staff Category, for his dedicated services.

He was first employed as a Night Watchman at the Fr. Thomas Alan Rooney Memorial Hospital, Asankragwa in 2000 and by dint of hard work, management appointed him a Hospital Orderly in 2002. 

With unwavering commitment to duty, Management again upgraded his position to Health Assistant/Senior Health Assistant in 2004 and 2010 respectively.

In recognition of discipline, honesty and passion to work, the Hospital Management approved of your readiness to train as Anaesthetists in 2010 when there was shortage of Anaesthetists at the facility.

He is on record to have distinguished himself in his training and for assisting in the performance of 568 procedures in 2012, including laparotomies, caesarian sections and hernias.

The NCHS also awarded Dr. Felix Ahorsu, Eye Specialist and Medical Superintendent at the St. Patrick Hospital at Offinso in the Ashanti Region for his dedicated and meritorious service in the healthcare delivery.

A voluntary blood donor, Mr. John Degraft Daiden who had donated blood since 1977 was also honoured for his dedication in saving lives at the Conference.  

‘Take Patients’ safety seriously’

Health care providers in the country were entreated to ensure safety of patients at all times by observing health safety regulation in the discharge of their duties.

Bishop Fianu

Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, Episcopal Chairman for Health at the National Catholic Secretariat, urged health managers and workers, particularly those within the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) to exercise circumspection in their work to prevent causing harm to patient seeking healthcare.

In order to reduce and avoid the incidence of injury and death of patients in the course of treatment, Bishop Fianu who doubles as the Catholic Bishop of Ho, noted that “any health system that fails to take its regulation seriously is headed for patient safety compromises, including irreparable harm and loss of life, which society will not accept”.

The Bishop made the call at the opening of the 15^th Annual Conference of the National Catholic Heath Service at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, on the theme: “Policy and Regulations on Patient Safety in Ghana-Current and Future Outlook”.

He noted that regulation may be simple protocols of dos and don’ts of workplace and service delivery, and may be complex mechanisms for explaining diagnostic results among others.

He observed that that the importance of regulations which could be a source of promoting good practice, assures patients, who entrusts their whole being to the care of another in the hope that an intervention will not harm them.

In calling on policy makers to ensure even application of rules irrespective of ownership of health facilities, Bishop Fianu, stressed the need for effective supervision and monitoring to ensure that health workers complied with the rules governing their work.

The Bishop advised the Ministry of Health to rope in more health sector workers under the various councils or laws, in order to effectively regulate the activities of those health workers who fall outside the remits of the rules for health workers.

In a remark, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani, who chaired the opening, observed that patient safety was crucial in the healthcare system, urging Health Providers to ensure the safety of unborn babies.

He entreated health workers to be diligent in the provision of patient safety, since the patient were becoming aware of their rights in the area of health care.

He said the era where nurses looked on unconcerned when patients visited their facilities, whilst they were on busy with their mobile phones ‘whatsapping’ and chatting with friends was over, calling for more supervision to curtail these trend.

Mr. Peter K. Yeboah, Executive Director of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG), noted that with the commitment of the country in universal health coverage, national health insurance system and community health planning and services, there was the need for a robust and responsive patient safety oversight system at both policy and regulatory levels. 

He said Policy and regulation on patient safety in Ghana constituted a call to action to improve the quality of clinical care and strengthening the performance of health system.

He stated that “safe and quality healthcare delivery can be guaranteed when the right health commodities, in the right quantities, in the right condition are delivered to the right place at the right time for the right cost.”

Similarly, Rev. Msgr. George Kwame Kumi, Vicar General of Sunyani Diocese urged health providers to give serious attention to patient safety, stating that statistics about patients who suffer injury during the cause of receiving treatment were frightening and disturbing.

He called for the fixing of CCTV cameras in all facilities and behavioral change among health practitioners to ensure reduction in the incidence, adding that the disregard of patients’ safety has fatal consequences for both the healthcare provider and the clients.

Also, the immediate past Episcopal Chairman for Health, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum Immediate Past Bishop commended the current Government for making efforts to pay part of the National Health Insurance Scheme’s (NHIS) indebtedness to health facilities, urging it to expedite action to settle the remaining debts.

He expressed the hope that the Church will make strong input, in the event of re-introduction of the Capitation policy so that the NCHS Clinics operating in the hard to access areas were not short changed in the process.

In his address, Mr George A. Adjei, Esq., Director of the NCHS, noted that they were strategising to create centers of excellence to leverage on technology in health service delivery.

To this end, he observed that the NCHS was nurturing opportunities for using telemedicine and information technological tools to improve health care delivery in the country.

He also announced that the service would soon constitute a National Advisory Body on Biomedical Engineering Services and another on Waste Management to undertake assessment of basic and essential equipment in use at the various NCHS facilities in the country and advice on what policy should be in place.

Whilst commending St. Patrick and St. John of God Hospitals at Offinso and Sewi-Asafo respectively for their exceptional performance on the Pool Procurement Programme, the Director reported that the programme detected some counterfeit drugs which had since been withdrawn from the system and the suppliers blacklisted.

Mr. Martin Obeng, DCE of Sunyani West District commended the Catholic Church for its role in the provision of health and Education in the country.

Dignitaries Present at the ceremony were Nana Nyaama ll Paramount Queen Mother of Sunyani, Nana Kwaku Sabin, priests and religious, political leaders and the All Saints Choir from the Christ the King Cathedral, Sunyani.