GHS initiates performance ratings for health facilities
The Ghana Health Service has initiated a league table for best performing health facilities at the community, district and regional levels ahead of future national ratings to whip up their enthusiasm.
The Service would also regularly publish the performance of every health facility and reward best performing ones but sanction the non-performing ones in the coming years, Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, Director General of Ghana Health Service, told the GNA in an interview.
He said the measures were to ensure that all health facilities performed in consonance with their vision and mission.
Dr Appiah-Denkyira said on the initial league table, three facilities made up of Community-based Health Planning Services (CHPS), Sub-District and District facilities, Hospitals and Private facilities had been selected.
At the hospital level the Achimota Hospital has been adjudged the best in the Greater Accra Region, Nsawam Hospital in the Eastern Region, Bekwai Hospital in the Ashanti Region, St Francis Xavier Hospital in Assin Fosu in the Central Region and Dixcove Ahanta West Hospital in the West Region.
The rest are; Peki Hospital in the Volta Region, Kintampo Hospital in the Brong-Ahafo Region, Bole Hospital in the Northern Region, Sandema Hospital in the Upper East Region and the Nadowli Hospital in the Upper West Region.
The first and second runner-ups in the same category are Dangbe East Hospital and Dangme West in the Greater Accra Region, Attibie and Asamankese hospitals in the Eastern region, Tafo and Agogo Presby hospitals in the Ashanti Region, Swedru and Cape Coast Metro in the Central Region and Enchi and Tarkwa Hospitals in the Western Region.
The other runner-ups are Hohoe and St Anthony Catholic hospitals in the Volta Region, St John of God Hospital and Yeji Mateas Hospital in Brong-Ahafo Region, Yendi and Walewale hospitals in the Northern Region, Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, Navrongo Hospital in the Upper East Region and Jirapa, Tumu hospitals in the Upper West Region.
In the CHPS facilities; Okyerekomfo in Ga West is the best in Greater Accra, Amanase (Suhum) in the Eastern Region, Nyamebekyere CHPS in the Ashanti, Awisem CHPS in the Central Region, Kwesikrom CHPS in the Western Region, Agoufie CHPS in the Volta Region and Bantama CHPS in the Brong-Ahafo Region.
The rest are Gbangboapong in the Northern Region, Goriko/Awaredone CHPS in the Upper East Region and Kokoligu CHPS in the Upper West Region.
Explaining the criteria used in the selection, Dr Appiah-Denkyira said they assessed the attitude of the facilities towards pregnant women, children under five years, regular outreach programmes in the communities, immunization coverage, antenatal care, family planning and quarterly community durbars.
He said they also assessed the engagement of youth groups in health issues, traditional authorities and the general coordination with other stakeholders in terms of meetings, drawing of synergies, resource mobilization and the planning of the facilities.
Dr Appiah-Denkyira said the criteria would help achieve the Millennium Goals 4, 5, and 6 which hve to do with child mortality, family health and malaria under-five fatality rate.
He appealed to all stakeholders to play their roles responsibly to enhance the achievement of those goals for better health in the coming years.
Source: GNA