GHS receives 41 vehicles for health care delivery

Sheikh I. C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, on Wednesday handed vehicles and motorbikes worth 3.4 billion cedis to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to assist in the delivery of quality health care in the Greater Accra Region.

The vehicles to be distributed to the various district health institutions are one station wagon, 24 double cabin pick-ups, two mini buses and 14 motorbikes.

The vehicles, which were procured through the Health Fund, are to be used for regional monitoring; support outreach services and facilitate the transportation of patients and drugs to health facilities, among other things.

Sheikh Quaye stated that similar donations were also being made in the various regions to facilitate quality health care delivery in the country.

He said government was committed to ensuring that the health sector was well equipped with adequate transport to make it more efficient and effective.

The Minister charged beneficiary institutions to ensure constant maintenance of the vehicles and also to ensure that they were used for official purposes alone.

Dr Kofi Osae Adadey, Regional Director of Health Services, said many deprived areas in the country needed health support, but due to the non-availability of transport, health personnel were not able to efficiently visit those places to provide services.

"With the coming of these motorbikes and vehicles, we can now visit these remote places and provide the best of service to the people," he said.

He said the GHS would ensure that the vehicles were constantly serviced and well maintained.

Mr Charles Adu, Regional Health Administrator, charged beneficiaries to adhere strictly to the GHS transport policy that stated among other things that proper authorisation must be sought before passengers or cargo were allowed aboard any of the vehicles.

He cautioned drivers against smoking while driving GHS vehicles as well as driving under intoxication, adding that any driver who flouted the rule would be dismissed.