NATIONAL HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMME LAUNCHED IN UE
NATIONAL HEALTH PROMOTION LAUNCHED IN UE September13, 2010
BY P. A. WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
A national health promotion programme aimed at building strong relations with communities to gain their understanding, support and involvement in the implementation of health promotion interventions has been launched at Bolgatanga in the Upper East region. The health promotion programme is the brainchild of the Ministry of Health and a private sector investor, Better Ghana Management Services Limited [BGMSL].
The programme will make use of School of Hygiene graduates referred to as health promotion officers and assistants whose knowledge will provide the needed capacity building for communities to make healthy choices such as eating fruits daily, reducing quantity of meat and sugar they eat and the addition of more vegetables to food.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor who launched the programme on the theme “Creating a healthy lifestyle for a better Ghana” noted that even though there are increases in the provision of health infrastructure over the years, this has not necessarily translated into tangible health outcomes.
Dr. Kunbuor noted that there are still rising cases of malaria, diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancers reported in the hospitals. He said some of these diseases cannot be treated by clinical services alone and therefore called for positive lifestyles in the communities.
The health minister said globally, there is an increasing focus on preventive health care which has become a key source of cost saving in the health delivery system. He further said preventive health costs less than curative health care and asked for all efforts to be directed at the former saying it brings more benefits to both the government and the people than the latter.
He said government has initiated a number of policies to revive health promotion programmes that will give jobs to the youth and at the same time create awareness through a systematic, aggressive, consistent and interactive public health education on common diseases. He added that, the programme seeks to employ over 2,500 graduates from the Schools of Hygiene and private health training institutions nation wide.
The Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. John Koku Awoonor-Williams in a welcome address said the regional health directorate has achieved a lot in its health delivery strides. The directorate has for instance vaccinated over 75 per cent of the regional target population against H1N1. Also, the region since 1998 has not recorded any measles deaths. Similarly, there has not been any record of guinea worm and polio cases over the past two years.
Dr. Awoonor-Williams said a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2008 showed that the Upper East region was worst off in sanitation indicators alongside increased child mortality. Other surveys also rated the region high in alcohol consumption. He observed that regular exercises, adequate rest and fruit and vegetable consumption will impact positively on personal health.
The regional health director therefore lauded the launch of the national health promotion officers and assistants programme saying it will help address the lack of professional health promotion staff and other critical health professionals in the region.
In a speech read by Mrs. Lucy Awuni for the Upper East Regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo said it is common knowledge that many diseases that afflict people can be eliminated through better sanitation, adequate nutrition and healthy lifestyles. He said many people will be willing to adhere to these practices in order to prolong their lives but lack of knowledge and ignorance have often hampered the ideals of regenerative health.
Mr. Woyongo entreated all traditional rulers, district and municipal chief executives in the region to take keen interest in the health promotion programme and fully support graduates who will be deployed to the communities to implement the programme.
He also used the opportunity to urge all and sundry to get involved in the upcoming 2010 population and housing census which begins on the night of September 26.
The General Manager of Better Ghana Management Services Limited, Mrs. Beatrice Ampomsah disclosed in an address that the health promotion officers and assistants will receive regular in-services training to be abreast with health issues.
Mrs. Ampomsah said her outfit has taken delivery of 12 brand new 4x4 Toyota Hilux double-cabin pick-up vehicles for its regional monitoring teams and 2,500 motor bikes for workers under the national health promotion programme.
BY P. A. WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
A national health promotion programme aimed at building strong relations with communities to gain their understanding, support and involvement in the implementation of health promotion interventions has been launched at Bolgatanga in the Upper East region. The health promotion programme is the brainchild of the Ministry of Health and a private sector investor, Better Ghana Management Services Limited [BGMSL].
The programme will make use of School of Hygiene graduates referred to as health promotion officers and assistants whose knowledge will provide the needed capacity building for communities to make healthy choices such as eating fruits daily, reducing quantity of meat and sugar they eat and the addition of more vegetables to food.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Benjamin Kunbuor who launched the programme on the theme “Creating a healthy lifestyle for a better Ghana” noted that even though there are increases in the provision of health infrastructure over the years, this has not necessarily translated into tangible health outcomes.
Dr. Kunbuor noted that there are still rising cases of malaria, diarrhoea, HIV/AIDS and non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancers reported in the hospitals. He said some of these diseases cannot be treated by clinical services alone and therefore called for positive lifestyles in the communities.
The health minister said globally, there is an increasing focus on preventive health care which has become a key source of cost saving in the health delivery system. He further said preventive health costs less than curative health care and asked for all efforts to be directed at the former saying it brings more benefits to both the government and the people than the latter.
He said government has initiated a number of policies to revive health promotion programmes that will give jobs to the youth and at the same time create awareness through a systematic, aggressive, consistent and interactive public health education on common diseases. He added that, the programme seeks to employ over 2,500 graduates from the Schools of Hygiene and private health training institutions nation wide.
The Upper East Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. John Koku Awoonor-Williams in a welcome address said the regional health directorate has achieved a lot in its health delivery strides. The directorate has for instance vaccinated over 75 per cent of the regional target population against H1N1. Also, the region since 1998 has not recorded any measles deaths. Similarly, there has not been any record of guinea worm and polio cases over the past two years.
Dr. Awoonor-Williams said a Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2008 showed that the Upper East region was worst off in sanitation indicators alongside increased child mortality. Other surveys also rated the region high in alcohol consumption. He observed that regular exercises, adequate rest and fruit and vegetable consumption will impact positively on personal health.
The regional health director therefore lauded the launch of the national health promotion officers and assistants programme saying it will help address the lack of professional health promotion staff and other critical health professionals in the region.
In a speech read by Mrs. Lucy Awuni for the Upper East Regional minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo said it is common knowledge that many diseases that afflict people can be eliminated through better sanitation, adequate nutrition and healthy lifestyles. He said many people will be willing to adhere to these practices in order to prolong their lives but lack of knowledge and ignorance have often hampered the ideals of regenerative health.
Mr. Woyongo entreated all traditional rulers, district and municipal chief executives in the region to take keen interest in the health promotion programme and fully support graduates who will be deployed to the communities to implement the programme.
He also used the opportunity to urge all and sundry to get involved in the upcoming 2010 population and housing census which begins on the night of September 26.
The General Manager of Better Ghana Management Services Limited, Mrs. Beatrice Ampomsah disclosed in an address that the health promotion officers and assistants will receive regular in-services training to be abreast with health issues.
Mrs. Ampomsah said her outfit has taken delivery of 12 brand new 4x4 Toyota Hilux double-cabin pick-up vehicles for its regional monitoring teams and 2,500 motor bikes for workers under the national health promotion programme.
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