Member of Parliament for Nadowli Kaleo and Presidential Hopeful for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the decision by the Akufo -Addo government to purchase drones in facilitating health delivery as catastrophe.
Speaking on Atinka FM’s political show, “Simpieso” with host, Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, he mentioned that the success of Ghana’s health system hinges largely on giving quality primary and promotional health particularly in the hinterlands.
And it was the reason the NDC started building the Community-Based Health Planning & Services, CHIPS Compounds. Such a laudable initiative is what the government must be augmenting and not engaging in a copy syndrome.
According to him, the challenges of the sector can be tackled holistically through what he termed as three Ds – representing the distance to health centers, decision patients take to visit the hospital when they feel it is expensive and delay people go through before accessing health facilities.
The Ministry of Health then made a policy of making every electoral area have a CHIPS Compound. So that the health personnel will give education on nutrition and healthy life style.
Mr. Bagbin cited the examples government gave in defense of its decision where they mentioned Rwanda to have used the same approach and it is working for them.
But he explained that Rwanda is a hilly country and their health challenges are different therefore, you just don’t go and see another initiative somewhere and you come to replicate it.
On the issue of “Ghana Beyond Aid”, he quizzed why we are in a rash to wean ourselves from donor aid since he believes we are not fully independent to finance every developmental project.
Thus, the announcement by the President Nana Akufo Addo has brought some challenges where neonatal and infant mortality, the six childhood killer diseases are have shot up their ugly heads.
This is because the rate at which we get drugs and other medical materials are decreasing leading to an increase in HIV/AIDS pandemic to 70%. It shows clearly we still need them since as a country, we do not operate in isolation
–
Source: Atinkaonline.com
