Background
The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Chapter 14) provided for the establishment of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) as part of the Public Services of Ghana. In 1996, Parliament passed the Ghana Health Service and Teaching Hospitals Act 1996, Act 525, to pave way for the establishment of GHS.
The GHS is therefore a Public Service body established under Act 525 of 1996 as required by the 1992 constitution. It is an autonomous Executive Agency responsible for implementation of national policies under the control of the Minister for Health through its governing Council – the Ghana Health Service Council.
Rationale
The establishment of the GHS was an essential part of the key strategies identified in the Health Sector Reform process in the 1990s, which was outlined in the Medium-Term Health Strategy and Five Year Programme of Work for the period 1997-2001. The strategies were necessary steps in establishing a more equitable, efficient, accessible and responsive health care system.
The reforms built on the reorganization of the MOH that began in 1993, which was explicitly designed to set the scene for the establishment of the GHS. The reforms also provided a sound organizational framework for the growing degree of managerial responsibility that had already been delegated to districts and hospitals. Themes that were central to the reorganization of 1993 remain important today for GHS: careful stewardship of scare resources, clear lines of responsibility and control, decentralization, and accountability for performance rather than inputs.
Our Mandate
To provide and prudently manage comprehensive and accessible health service with special emphasis on primary health care at regional, district and sub-district levels in accordance with approved national policies
Our Vision
All communities having access to timely, quality and comprehensive health care
Our Motto
Your health our concern
Our Core Values
- Professionalism
- Team work
- Integrity
- Discipline
- Excellence
- People-centred
Objectives
The objectives of the Service are to:
- Implement approved national policies for health delivery in the country.
- Increase access to good quality health services, and
- Manage prudently resources available for the provision of the health services.
Functions of the Service
- Ensuring access to health services at the community, sub-district, district and regional levels by providing health services or contracting out service provision to other recognized health care providers
- Setting technical guidelines to achieve policy standards set by MOH
- Planning, organizing and administering comprehensive health services with special emphasis on primary healthcare
- Developing mechanisms for the equitable distribution of health facilities in rural and urban districts
- Managing and administering health institutions within the Service
- Contracting with teaching hospitals for the treatment of referred patients
- Promoting health, mode of healthy living and good health habits by people
- Establishing effective mechanisms for disease surveillance, disease prevention and control
- Promoting the efficiency and advancement of health workers through in-service and continuing education
- Managing the assets and properties of the Service to ensure the most effective use
- Determining with the approval of the Minister of
- Health charges for health services rendered by the Service
- Performing any other function that is relevant to the promotion, protection and restoration of health.