The Ahafo Region was created out of the Brong Ahafo Region by Legislative Instrument in 2019 and the Regional Health Directorate (RHD) began in earnest in May, 2020. The RHD is located at Hwidiem and is headed by Dr. Kwabena Boateng Boakye, the Regional Director of Health Service. He is assisted by four Regional Deputy Directors, namely, Deputy Director Public Health, Deputy Director Clinical Care, Deputy Director Health Administration and Support Services and Deputy Director Finance. Under each Deputy Director are administrative and technical staff with the responsibility of coordinating health programmes/projects and technical/administrative units of the RHD.
The RHD is responsible for policy dissemination, stakeholder dialogue, capacity-building, coordination of planning and implementation of health policies and programmes in the region. The Departments under the RHD provide technical support, monitoring and supervisory functions of health services delivered at the district, sub-district, and community level in the region.
There are six District Health Directorates and 27 Sub-districs under the RHD with a total of 96 health facilities comprising 13 Hospitals (6 Government, 2 CHAG, 1 Islamic and 4 private), 22 Health Centres, 18 Clinics, 7 private Maternity Homes, 160 demarcated CHPS zones, 143 functional CHPS zones and 45 CHPS compounds. The Region’s Doctor to Population ration is 1:13,307 while the Nurse to Population ratio is 1:339.
Our focus as a new RHD is operationalizing the “One Health System” concept in the region where “All communities should have access to quality, affordable, and comprehensive health care driven by ICT with the full participation of all Stakeholders”. The District Health Family System is a key driver of this focus as well as strengthening of the governance, intersectoral collaboration/ partnerships and other public health systems in the region.
As the body responsible for health services in the region, the RHD maintains close links with all other agencies of the Ministry of Health, the local government system, traditional authorities, and other stakeholders in health including development partners, and civil society in the region.