The Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) aimed at supporting Health Partnership between Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and the United Kingdom was yesterday launched in Accra by the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
With funding by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the GHWP would strengthen health workforce and build more resilient health systems for post-pandemic recovery and to advance progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Launching the programme in Accra, The Director Human Resource at the MoH, Dr Kwasi Asabir, said the programme was critical which needed more engagement to manage the human resources of the country from global perspective.
He said Ghana, as a developing country seeking to achieve UHC was faced with human resource constraints which included poor worker performance, recruitment, training and retention of skilled health workforce, which undermined the ability to achieve well-functioning health systems.
MrAsabir called for more collaborative efforts with developed countries to strengthen global health workforce for sustainable development.
The Chief Executive Officer, THET, Ben Simms said health professionals were the centre of every health system and their work was central to achieving Universal Health Coverage, hence the programme would make a valuable contribution in strengthening the health workforce in Ghana.
“We are grateful for the leadership of the Ministry of Health for helping to make this happen. This will provide significant funding to support the exchange of skills between Ghanaian and UK-based health professionals,” he added.
The Health Adviser for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Ghana, Ms Uzoamaka Gilpin, said the programme presents further opportunities in ensuring that Ghana had the right mix of health workers with the skills and other resources required to deliver quality health services in all districts and every level of health care delivery.
The World Health Organisation Representative to Ghana, Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, in a speech read on his behalf said the launch of the GHWP, was timely and would address some of the potential interventions emanating from the preliminary analysis from the health labour market analysis.
He expressed WHO’s continuous commitment and collaboration with THET, to providing technical guidance to the grant recipients, while ensuring the smooth implementation of all project.
“I would like to re-affirmed WHO’s support to the GHWP in addressing priorities, focused on building a strong and resilient health workforce in the country,” Prof. Kasolo added.
The launch provided a platform for the Health Partnerships awarded grants under the GHWP to present their projects and facilitate collaboration between partnerships.
With a strong focus on building local ownership and sustainability, these partnerships would contribute to some programmatic outcomes such as partnerships aligning with and contributing towards retention and wellbeing strategies.
BY VIVIAN ARTHUR
