The Ghana Health Service would soon launch a digital strategy as part of efforts to leverage technology to improve health delivery in the country, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director General, has hinted.

He said the service was partnering with Grand Challenges Canada and other partners to implement an innovative platform in Ghana where innovative ideas would be sought to solve specific health challenges.

Dr Kuma-Aboagye who was speaking at the 2022 Annual Performance Review of the Ashanti Region in Kumasi, said the platform when successfully implemented, would be a game changer in the health sector.

The performance review meeting which was on the theme, “Harnessing the Challenges of Non-Communicable Diseases through Awareness Creation and Capacity Building” was to take stock of the region’s performance in 2022.

It was attended by selected staff of the Service from all 43 Districts and the Regional Health Directorate, representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in health.

The Director General said the performance review provided a common platform for stakeholders in health to share relevant information on the operation of the GHS while taking feedback from stakeholders, especially community members.

He said the meeting also facilitated the discussion of achievements and challenges confronting the sector and provided a unique opportunity for stakeholders to collectively find solutions for them.

Touching on the national health indicators for 2022, he revealed that the institutional infant mortality rate had reduced.

“Similarly, the institutional maternal mortality decreased from 111 to 102 per 100,000 live births and I believe that is probably one of the lowest institutional mortalities we have recorded,” he indicated.

He said the number of total deaths reduced from 875 to 809, adding that Ashanti Region alone, accounted for 181 and charged the Region to do more to reduce the numbers.

Dr Kuma-Aboagye spoke about the introduction of model health centres where healthcare seekers could access 24-hour services in rural communities to reduce the incidence of maternal and infant mortalities.

He said the new approach was to improve sharing of resources to ensure that people in the communities had access to care close to them 24 hours a by giving such facilities adequate health personnel.

“All District Directors should make sure that model health centres are running 24 hours which means that we need to provide the appropriate number of staff and equipment to reduce pressure on hospitals,” Dr Kuma-Aboagye reiterated.

He commended health workers across the country for their commitment to duty sometimes at the peril of their lives and urged them to remain dedicated as the Service took steps to recognise their sacrifices.

Dr Emmanuel Tinkorang, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, said the region ended 2022 with 51.2 per cent of persons eligible for the COVID-19 vaccines fully vaccinated and stressed the need to address vaccine hesitancy in the Region.

He said the region purposely selected the theme for the review due to increased mortality and morbidity and loss of productivity associated with Non-Communicable Diseases such as cancers, diabetes, hypertension as well as cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases.

“The region in collaboration with Healthy Heath Africa, PATH, JHPIEGO, Breast Care International and World Health Organisation intends to scale up awareness campaigns, strengthen screening programmes and build capacity to improve treatment,” he stated.