Prioritizing health care delivery for vulnerable communities
“The truth is that most people think they will get COVID-19 when they visit the hospitals”, said Alfred Nii Adotey, Opinion Leader, and a Community Health Volunteer in Chorkor in Accra.
COVID-19 has disrupted all aspects of life including the delivery of routine health services. In Ghana, statistics from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) shows that COVID-19 has indeed resulted in about 11% decline in outpatient department (OPD) attendance for essential health services and a similar decline is also being recorded in admissions, and immunization coverages.
Routine health services for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), childhood illnesses and other conditions also saw a decline during the same period.
As part of efforts to address the current health care delivery gaps and build resilience of community health systems, the qqq
The project aims at strengthening community health systems to support the continuity of essential services for the vulnerable during and post COVID-19.
Under the project, community health workers at Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds, community health management committee members and volunteers from Accra Metropolitan and Ga Central assemblies have been trained to support the uptake of essential health services for the vulnerable in Ghana.
For Grace Boakye, a registered midwife at the Tabora Health Centre in Accra, the training is very timely because health workers are at the forefront of emergency health care services.
“This training has taught me how to classify emergency cases, especially during this pandemic. I can now work more effectively with the community volunteers to bring healthcare delivery to community members. Thank you, UNDP, Ghana Health Service, and Japan, for prioritizing community health workers”, she stated.
The training is particularly significant as it provides a pathway for community health volunteers and community health workers to work together effectively in ensuring good health for all.
“The role of community health officers has never been more important than at this time. Your home visits and support for health services brings health care to the doorsteps of the most vulnerable and deprived communities and households, Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative at UNDP commended health workers.
With few years left for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we all have a role to play in achieving universal ‘health for all’. This will mean ensuring that communities and individuals have access to the information and services needed to improve their health outcomes.
Source: africaneditors.com
There is a good reason why you should support the African Editors. Not everyone can afford to pay for news right now. That is why we keep our journalism open for everyone to read, including in Ghana. If this is you, please continue to read for free. But if you are able to, then there are three good reasons to support us today.
1. Our quality, journalism is a scrutinising force at a time when the rich and powerful are getting away with more and more.
2. We are independent and have no billionaire owner pulling the strings, so your money directly powers our reporting.
3. It doesn’t cost much, and takes less time than it took to read this message.
Help power the African Editors' journalism for the years to come, whether with a small sum or a larger one. If you can, please support us on a monthly basis from just 1 Ghana Cedi through mobile money number: 0599896099/ +23359989609 and you can be rest assured that you’re making a big impact every single month in support of open, independent journalism. Thank you.
