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The quality of healthcare services in the country has improved over the years following the huge investment in the sector by the government, President John Mahama has indicated.

The President said hitherto the strength and wealth of a country was measured based on its economic indicators but noted that in the current situation, such indices had been extended to cover areas such as health care, education, access to water and electricity.

He was speaking at the launch of phase one of eight mobile clinics at the Western Naval Command in Takoradi in the Western Region yesterday, known as Onuador. Literally meaning “brotherly love”, the well-equipped state of the art mobile clinic will render services in general medical care, dental, ophthalmology and Ear and Throat (ENT) diseases across the country.

The President said as a country, “we have done well when it comes to access but when you have access and the national health insurance system in place without corresponding medical facilities to attend, what will be the use?”

Projects

President Mahama further indicated that in the last five years the government had constructed new teaching hospitals, regional, military and district hospitals in some parts of the country. Other facilities include polyclinics, CHP compounds in the various regions to make health care accessible to the people.

He added that the government had also expanded health training institutions in the country because “we must have nurses, doctors, pharmacists, physician assistants, X-ray and laboratory technicians to ensure quality health delivery services.” The President said the government had so far expended more than $1billion on the health sector.

President Mahama recalled that in 2000, there were 900 maternal deaths in every 100,000 births but that, “today, that number has come down. There is now about 300 maternal deaths out of the same 100,000 births. Even though there has been some improvement, we can still work hard to bring the figure to zero.”

Underserved areas

The President noted also that while there had been some significant improvement in the health sector, there were still some underserved communities due to their remoteness.

Such challenges, he explained, informed the sector ministry to come out with the Onuado mobile clinic initiative, adding that, “If we cannot get some of these remote communities to access services at the nearest health facilities, then we as government must reach out to those communities with the needed medical facilities.”

The Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia, expressed the hope that the facilities would help address the difficulties in accessing health services, especially in rural communities.

Beneficiaries

Six districts in each region will benefit from the services of the mobile clinics.

In the Western Region, for instance, the six selected districts include, Juaboso, Sefwi-Wiawso and Bibiani-Awiaso-Bekwai. The rest are Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, Ahanta West and Ellembelle districts.