There can be no justice without justice in healthcare – GhNCD
“There can be no justice without justice in healthcare.” That is according to the Chairman of the Ghana Non-Communicable diseases Alliance (GhNCD) Chairman, Dr. Beatrice Wiafe Addai.
Access to high-quality, appropriate and universal healthcare remains a mirage for people living with NCDs, especially the vulnerable, she said.
Dr. Addai was speaking at the 4th National High-Level Meeting on NCDs held in Kumasi.
It was on the theme, “Leaving No One’s Health Behind: Invest in Health Systems for All – Prioritizing NCDs for UHC.”
Dr. Addai says, “It remains unclear the extent to which health policy reforms towards the UHC agenda for Ghana have considered the needs of people living with NCDs.”
According to her, there is no comprehensive policy review to untangle emerging public health issues among key stakeholders, including policymakers, researchers, and community members.
Dr. Addai is also questioning the affordability of healthcare as government plans to build more health facilities across the country.
She believes that accessibility and affordability should go hand in hand if the country is to achieve universal health coverage.
“Do NCDs feature prominently on the health agenda of governments, and civil society? Do persons diagnosed of and living with NCDs get the needed support?”
GhNCD alliance is concerned that NCDs continue to be on the back burner despite statistics showing that the diseases are responsible for several covid-19 deaths and deserve more attention in terms of resource, and action plans.
Dr. Addai calls on the media to continue to highlight NCDs to collectively protect the lives of patients.
The alliance is therefore developing a centralized national database that will be used to advance the formulation and implementation of appropriate policies.
It says, “The increasing burden of NCDs imposes on us all a responsibility to consistently engage, lobby, and influence policy formulation while mobilizing civil society, private sector, NGOs, and the media into the awareness campaign spectrum.”
On behalf of the Health Minister, the Employment and Labour Relations Minister assures of the government support in addressing challenges confronting NCDs.
Ignatius Baffour Awuah says agenda 111 when completed will bring health care closer to the people and that with the NHIS card every citizen stands to benefit from free medical care.
The Minister adds that the government is also poised to improve the quality of healthcare and make it affordable to all.
Mr. Awuah urges the public to take advantage of the many health policies introduced by the government.
Source: Ghana News
