The Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has emphasized significant initiatives undertaken by the NPP administration that are effecting change within the health sector.
During an event in Ejisu to inaugurate TeleHealth, an application designed for remote medical consultations, Dr. Bawumia stated that the government has focused on these initiatives over the past eight years to tackle various issues within the health sector that were inherited from the previous administration led by Akufo-Addo.
The Vice President noted that approximately seven key initiatives are playing a vital role in the transformation of the healthcare system.
Reinstatement of the Nursing Trainee Allowance.
Dr. Bawumia remarked that in any healthcare delivery framework, the role of personnel is crucial, thus underscoring the necessity of providing support for healthcare workers, particularly through nursing trainee allowances.
That is why we restored the nursing trainee allowance, which was canceled by the NDC, so that they will be trained and come into the health system.
One Constituency One Ambulance
Dr. Bawumia expressed concern regarding the inadequate condition of the Ghana Ambulance Service, highlighting the scarcity of ambulances available throughout the nation.
When we assumed office, there were only 37 active ambulances for the country, so we brought in the one constituency one ambulance initiative. We now have 307 ambulances.
Revival of NHIS and Covering More Diseases
Dr. Bawumia stated that the NPP took over a nearly defunct National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) from former President Mahama, which was burdened with outstanding debts from unpaid claims.
He emphasized that since 2017, the government has revitalized the scheme, enhancing its reliability. Furthermore, Dr. Bawumia mentioned that the NHIS has been fortified to include coverage for sickle cell patients, children diagnosed with cancer, and now provides dialysis for individuals with kidney conditions.
Agenda 111
Dr. Bawumia stated that the concept of Agenda 111 was conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that placed significant strain on the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
This initiative aims to establish hospitals in newly formed regions that currently lack district and regional medical facilities. He further mentioned that the government anticipates the recruitment of more than 70,000 healthcare professionals upon the completion of all the facilities.
Drone Medical Delivery
One of the most significant medical advancements globally is the use of drones to transport essential medications to isolated regions. According to Dr. Bawumia, these drones facilitate daily deliveries from six distribution centers to more than 2,000 healthcare facilities nationwide.
This has helped address the problem of not being able to send essential medical supplies to remote areas in times of emergencies.
E-Health
We realized that folders of patients in public hospitals were being lost, especially when they are transferred. So we decided to digitalize the records of patients at all public hospitals, from teaching hospitals to regional hospitals, polyclinics, etc. God willing, next year, we will add chip compounds.
We have networked all these hospitals, and they are speaking to each other. It doesn’t matter where you have been transferred from or to, your records will be there in the system.
E-Pharmacy
Dr. Bawumia reminisced about his address at the annual pharmaceutical conference in Ho in 2019, where he informed the Pharmaceutical Council about the concept of e-pharmacy.
He emphasized the necessity for all pharmacies to unite on a single platform to facilitate the purchasing of medications for Ghanaians.
We started it gradually and we now have an e-pharmacy platform with over 2,000 pharmacies on it. This affords Ghanaians the easy option of buying drugs on the platform.
TeleHealth
Dr. Bawumia inaugurated the TeleHealth application in Ejisu, located in the Ashanti Region, on Monday. During his address, Dr. Bawumia emphasized that the application aims to facilitate quick and remote access to healthcare services for Ghanaians, eliminating the need for hospital visits and thereby conserving time, resources, and finances.
Some people go to the hospital and spend hours waiting just to see a doctor. Some people also don’t have anyone to take them to the hospital, so this TeleHealth app will help a lot for those who are limited in a way.
