A ten-chapter book which chronicles the experiences of the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) was launched in Accra on Wednesday.
The 125-page book titled ‘A Doctor for the People – Memoirs of a Village Doctor in a Forgotten District’ is written by Dr Anthony Adofo Ofosu, who is the former Health Director of the Sene District in the Brong-Ahafo Region.
The book chronicles the experiences and challenges Dr Ofosu went through as the district doctor in Sene.
It also peeped into the live and character of Dr Ofosu, and what drives him in his work as a public health physician.
Dr Ofosu in his remarks said he was motivated to write the story about his decision to serve in a rural community, to serve as a motivation to doctors to accept posting to rural communities.
He said refusal of doctors to accept posting to rural communities still remained a challenge due to poor infrastructure and social amenities, and said both financial and socio-cultural solutions must be found.
Dr Adofo mentioned some of the topics of the book as ‘Getting Acquainted,’ ‘The Beginning, ‘ ‘Forgotten and Neglected,’ ‘Reaching the unreached,’ ‘Wrestling not against flesh and blood, ‘ ‘The price we pay,’ and ‘Moving On.’
Dr Adofo said he found his six-year work in the region very fulfilling and a lifetime experience.
The Deputy Director-General urged the health authorities to allow the district managers to take decisions within the confines of the broad policies of the health sector.
He expressed gratitude to all who supported him to write the book.
The Director-General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, who launched the book, commended Dr Ofosu for accepting posting to the Sene District.
He also lauded Dr Ofosu for writing the book to share his experience in working in the Sene District.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye recommended the book to all health workers.
The Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Mrs Emma Ofori Agyeman, in her remarks lauded Dr Anthony Ofosu for availing himself to serve in Sene, and also writing about his experiences in serving in the region.
She described the book as interesting and empowering with compelling stories and slices about his life.
A former Director-General of GHS, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, who chaired the programme said the book was easy to read.
He recommended the book to all health facilities and professionals as well as the general public.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE & CECILIA LAGBA
