PHFAoG to support government to address challenges in the health sector

The Private Health Facilities Association of Ghana (PHFAoG) has pledged to support the government to address some key challenges confronting the country’s health sector.

Among the key challenges are the burden of non-communicable diseases, malnutrition, neonatal and maternal mortality rates, HIV/AIDS, and others.

Dr Samuel Kwame Buabeng-Frimpong, President of PHFAoG, who said explained that it was the responsibility of the private sector to strengthen efforts and partner the government to achieve the country’s healthcare goals, sector medium-term plan and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) three.

Speaking at the maiden annual general meeting of the Association in Kumasi, he recommended the appointment of competent healthcare staff in all health facilities including the private ones to promote and achieve the quality healthcare agenda of the government.

The meeting was held under the theme: “Promoting Quality Healthcare in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of the Private Health Facilities in Ghana.

Dr Buabeng-Frimpong citing the tremendous job the private health facilities were rendering to the public, said the private sector ranked second to Ghana Health Service in terms of facilities.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has a total of 7,579 facilities, followed by the private health sector with 1,357 while the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) has 282.

According to Dr Buabeng-Frimpong, the GHS accounted for 56.2 percent of hospital admissions, CHAG accounted for 25.8 per cent and private health facilities had 13.71 per cent.

With health conditions such as aneamia, where public facilities recorded 66.27 per cent in 2020, the private health facilities recorded 17.19, CHAG followed with 14.72, and other quasi government facilities recorded percentages below one.

The GHS recorded 22.7 per cent in hypertension, private facilities had 36.52 per cent and CHAG recorded 16.63 per cent within the same period.

Dr Buabeng-Frimpong stressed the need for equitable allocation of resources meant for healthcare delivery without any discrimination, as the country strived towards the achievement of universal health coverage.

He said some of the key challenges confronting members of the Association were delays in reimbursement pattern of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), low frequency of the tariff review on the part of NHIA, quantum of with-holding tax for medicines dispensed to NHIA clients, and delays in the release of tax credit certificates by the NHIA.

He pledged the association’s continued support to the promotion of quality healthcare delivery in the country by offering the best healthcare services to the people at all times.

Mr. Stephen Duku, a representative from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said healthcare delivery was a shared responsibility and there was the need for collaborative efforts to tackle challenges in healthcare delivery.

He indicated that the US government through the USAID, would continue to partner with the government of Ghana, its agencies, and the private sector to collectively support the provision of quality healthcare services in line with Ghana’s Universal Access to Health Coverage (UAHC) aspirations.