MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Objectives

By the end of the lecture, students should be able to:1. Explain the mission, vision, objectives and

goals of the ministry

2. Enumerate the functions of the ministry

3. List the and explain agencies of the ministry

VISION

To have a healthy population for national development.

Mission

To contribute to socio-economic development and the development of a local health industry by promoting health and vitality through access to quality health for all people living in Ghana

using motivated personnel.

Sector goal

The goal of the health sector is to ensure a healthy and productive population that

continues to reproduce itself safely.

Policy thrust

The sector’s policy thrust is to reduce inequities in access to care and increase coverage, quality

and use of health services so as to achieve a healthier national population.

Policy Objectives

• The health policy objectives within the Sector Medium Term Development Plan 2010-2013 are to:

1. Bridge equity gaps in access to health care and nutrition services and ensure sustainable financing arrangements that protect the poor

•2. Strengthen governance and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health system

Objectives CONT’D

3. Improve access to quality maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health services

4. Intensify prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases and promote healthy lifestyles

5. Improve institutional care, including mental health service delivery

The goals of the Ministry

To improve the health status of all people living in Ghana through effective and efficient policy formulation, resource mobilization, monitoring

and regulation of delivery of health care by different health agencies.

Functions

• Formulate health policy.• Set standards for the delivery of health care in the

country.• Provide strategic direction for health delivery services.• Monitor and evaluate the health service delivery by

the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Teaching Hospitals, other Agencies, Development Partners and the Private sector.

• Develop policies for the practice of Traditional and Alternate Medicine in the country.

Functions

• Source funding for service delivery through GOG, Health Insurance and international community.

• Allocate resources to all health care delivery agencies under the Ministry.

• Provide framework for the development and management of the human resources for health.

• Provide a framework for the effective and efficient procurement, distribution, management and use of health sector goods, works and services.

• Make proposals for the review and enactment of health legislation.• Provide framework for the regulation of food, drugs and health

service delivery and practice.

Agencies

• Ghana Health Service• Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital• Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital• Christian Health Association• Food and Drugs Authority• National Ambulance Service• National Health Insurance Authority• Private Health Service Providers

Ghana Health service

• The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is a Public Service body established under Act 525 of 1996 as required by the 1992 constitution.

• It is an autonomous Executive Agency responsible for implementation of national policies under the control of the Minister for Health through its governing Council - the Ghana Health Service Council.

• The GHS continue to receive public funds and thus remain within the public sector

GHS CONT’D

The objects of the Service are to:• Implement approved national policies for

health delivery in the country.• Increase access to good quality health

services, and• Manage prudently resources available for the

provision of the health services

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

• Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital was established in 1923 as a colonial hospital for what was then the Gold Coast by Governor Guggisberg

• Korle-Bu was to become the standard by which all other hospitals in the nation were to model themselves after.

• Today it’s the leading national referral hospital in Ghana with a bed capacity of 1,600 and 3,000 members of staff.

• There’s an average daily out-patient attendance of 1,000 and an average of 120 people are admitted daily.

Christian Health Association of Ghana

• The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) is an umbrella organization that coordinates the activities of the Christian Health Institutions and Christian Churches’ Health programmes in Ghana.

• It is a body through which all or most of the Christian Church related health facilities /programmes liaise with the Ministry of Health to ensure proper collaboration and complementation of the government efforts at providing for the health needs of Ghanaians.

• CHAG membership grew from 25 health institutions in 1967 to 152 institutions in 2005.

CHA CONT’D

• These institutions are 56 hospitals, 83 primary health care bodies and 8 Health manpower-training centres in the country

• The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) member institutions are located predominantly in the rural areas and are aimed at reaching the marginalized and poorest of the poor.

• A few are in big towns now but were built there when the towns were small and rural. A few can now also be seen in the slumps of some of the Cities.

• These are targeted at serving the health needs of the poor and vulnerable populations that have been created by urbanisation.

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

• Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is located in Kumasi, the Regional Capital of Ashanti Region with a total projected population of 3,204,609 (1998)

• The geographical location of the 1000-bed Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the road network of the country and commercial nature of Kumasi make the hospital accessible to all the areas that share boundaries with Ashanti Region and others that are further away.

• As such, referrals are received from all the northern regions (namely, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions), Brong Ahafo, Central, Western, Eastern and parts of the Volta Regions

National Ambulance Service

• The Ghana Ambulance Service aims at providing accessible 24-hour ambulance service nationwide through its own ambulance service and by collaborating with other service providers such as the Fire Service and other hospital-based ambulances.

• The service also provides improved pre-hospital care in accidents, emergencies and disasters.

Food and Drugs Authority• The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) formerly the Food and Drugs

Board (FDB) was established in August 1997.

• Mandated by the public Health Act,2012(Act 851) to regulate food, drugs, food supplements, herbal and homeopathic medicines, veterinary medicines, cosmetics, medical devices, household chemical substances, tobacco and tobacco products.

• The FDA is an Agency under the Ministry of Health with an eleven member Governing Board inclusive of the Chief Executive Officer who is responsible for the day to day administration of the FDA

FDA Objective

To provide and enforce standards for the sale of food, herbal medicinal products, cosmetics, drugs, medical devices and household chemical substances.

Functions of the Authority

a) Ensure adequate and effective standards for food, drugs, cosmetics, household chemicals and medical devices

b) Monitor through the District Assemblies and any other agency of State compliance with the provisions of this Part

c) Advise the Minister on measures for the protection of the health of consumers

d) Advise the Minister on the preparation of effective Regulations for the implementation of this Part

e) Approve the initiation and conduct of clinical trials in the countryf) Perform any other functions that are ancillary to attaining the

objects of the Authority.

National Health Insurance Authority

Mandate• The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) was

established under the National Health Insurance Act 2003, Act 650, as a body corporate, with perpetual succession, an Official Seal, that may sue and be sued in its own name.

• A new law, Act 852 has replaced ACT 650 in October 2012 to consolidate the NHIS, remove administrative bottlenecks, introduce transparency, reduce opportunites for corruption and gaming of the system, and make for more effective governance of the schemes

Objective

The object of the Authority is to attain universal health insurance coverage in relation to: • persons resident in the country • persons not resident in the country but who

are on a visit to this country• and to provide access to healthcare services to

the persons covered by the Scheme.