The Ghana Health Service with support from health partners organized the 2nd Senior Managers Meeting (SMM) on the theme ‘’Promoting Healthcare Planning for Healthy Lives: Where Healthcare Systems Meet Healthy Behaviors”. The three-day program had in attendance senior managers from both the National and Regional Directorates. During the meeting, participants deliberated on policies, programs and strategies the Service should implement to ensure a resilient health system for Ghana.

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye in his remarks noted that the SMM2 was focused on taking stock of performances over the past half year as well as stimulating in-depth discussions on enhancing efforts to deliver quality healthcare services and promoting positive health behaviours in line with the Universal Health Care Roadmap. He observed that there was still a lot to be done to develop a resilient health system and a healthy population despite efforts put in to provide quality healthcare and promote healthy behaviours. He revealed that the Ghana Health Service was committed to achieving the objectives of the new Health Sector Medium-Term Development Plan (2022-2025) that would focus on essential services for the population, management of clinical and public health emergencies, improving the quality of care and information management, health policy, financing and system strengthening among other health plans. The Director–General mentioned that the Ghana Health Service must align with policy changes at the sectoral level to ensure that the desired goals and impact on overall health system performance can be achieved. He, therefore, entreated managers to ensure that their plans reflect these policy changes. He urged all to keep up the relentless efforts and contributions to improve the provision of health care services and ensure that quality Universal Health Coverage is not compromised.

The Honourable Minister of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman Manu in his address tasked management to focus on issues such as ensure effective management of Internally Generated Funds, decentralization of the health center, and E-health development among other pertinent issues. He also entreated all managers to collaborate in leaving a legacy that would strengthen Ghana’s health system. The Hon. Minister at the meeting launched the National Health Promotion Strategy 2022-2026. He remarked that coordination and development of the Health Promotion Strategy is “a major step towards ensuring that Ghana has a roadmap to acknowledging integration of demand generation behaviour change and health service delivery. He added that these essential elements if effectively executed will improve the key health indicators and achieve a healthier society.

At the meeting, the Director of the Health Promotion Division, Dr. Aboagye DaCosta, stated that, the National Health Promotion Strategy will build healthy public policy, create supportive environments, strengthen community action, develop personal skills and reorient health services. He indicated that the purpose of the strategy is to provide information to Ghanaians on how to stay healthy and to support the initiatives in the community that influence health and wellbeing.

A draft of the Ghana Health Service Staff Awards Scheme that seeks to appreciate staff, rebrand the Ghana Health Service and help boost the confidence of staff in the health sector was presented at the meeting by the Director, Supplies, Stores Drug Management Division of the Ghana Health Service, Mrs. Araba Kudiabor. Managers present chose a name for the scheme that is Ghana Health Service Excellence Awards. Also, she presented on the categories of awards and the mode of nomination.

The Director-General in his closing remarks urged senior managers to use contributions and ideas shared at the meeting to improve the quality of healthcare service delivery in the country.

SOURCE: PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT, GHS