Ghana orders for $276m medical equipment to boost health delivery
The Ghana government has placed an order for the supply of medical equipment valued at $276 million to be distributed to hospitals and clinics to enhance health delivery.
The equipment, being secured under the national medical equipment replacement project, include 20 mobile clinics and digital X-ray units.
Health facilities to benefit from the supply include the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the Tamale Teaching Hospital, all the regional hospitals and 99 district hospitals. .
Thirty health centres are also expected to benefit from the supply.
The Minister of Health, Mr Alban Bagbin, made this known at the 20th annual conference of district directors of health services in Wa yesterday.
The four-day conference is on the theme: “Strengthening Sub-District Health System to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) four, five and six: The Role of the District Director”.
Mr Bagbin said 161 well-equipped ambulances were also being imported to enhance emergency services, at the cost of €10 million. Five of the ambulances had been distributed to selected health institutions.
He said the Cabinet had also given approval for a facility that would be focused on revamping health infrastructure, including five polyclinics each in the Upper West, Brong Ahafo and Western regions.
The infrastructure at 21 district hospitals and three regional hospitals in Wa, Kumasi and Accra would also be revamped under the programme, he said.
Additionally, a staff housing programme would also be pursued.
According to Mr Bagbin, strengthening the sub-districts to achieve MDG targets was a priority and, therefore, expressed delight that the district directors had made such an issue their focus at the conference.
He said the Ministry of Health was aware of the challenges being faced by health personnel and administrators and said the solution was to provide the needed leadership that would allow communities to be involved in the planning, management and monitoring of local health services at the sub-district level.
Source: Daily Graphic