Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, the Country Representative for the WHO in Ghana, along with his team, visited the Ho Municipality on July 24th, 2023. During the visit, they met with Dr. Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, the Acting Volta Regional Director of Health Services, and his team at the Volta Regional Health Directorate.
Afterwards, Professor Kasolo paid a courtesy call on Hon. Divine Richard K. Bosson, the Municipal Chief Executive, and his team at the Municipal Assembly, as well as Ms Perfect Titiati, the Municipal Director of Health Services, and members of the Public Health Emergency Committee (PHEMC) at the Ho Municipal Assembly Hall.
The Municipal Chief Executive expressed gratitude for including Ho Municipal in their visit and highlighted the municipality’s progress towards achieving the goal of one community, one health facility. He called for support and resources from partners to enhance the functionality of the various health facilities in the area.
During his visit to the municipality, Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, the Country Representative for the WHO, expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and the opportunity to learn about the ongoing efforts, successes, and challenges in improving the health and well-being of the community. He commended the municipal team for prioritizing health and ensuring access to healthcare services.
Professor Kasolo emphasized the importance of access to healthcare, as it has been a significant challenge in recent years. He highlighted the progress made by many countries in reducing the distance to healthcare facilities, resulting in a decline in disease outbreaks such as measles, smallpox, and polio.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the WHO is working towards reducing out-of-pocket payments for healthcare services by introducing the national health insurance scheme (NHIS). This initiative aims to provide affordable healthcare services and alleviate the financial burden on individuals and families who would otherwise have to bear high healthcare expenses for their sick members.
Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo expressed appreciation for the preparations and interventions taken to address disease outbreaks, especially COVID-19 and Monkeypox, as well as other disasters, despite limited resources. He highlighted the importance of prompt responses in such challenging situations.
During the visit, Professor Kasolo emphasized the significance of individual actions in preventing and promoting health. He mentioned that prevention and health promotion are major priorities for the WHO, encouraging team members to utilize available resources for these purposes.
Ms Perfect Titiati, the Municipal Director of Health Services, introduced the members of the Public Health Emergency Committee (PHEMC) and commended their dedication to delivering healthcare services in the municipality.
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VISIT TO ZIAVE COMMUNITY
The team visited the Ziavi community in the Dutasor sub-municipal of the Ho Municipality. They had meetings with the chief, queen mothers, and elders of the Ziavi traditional council, and were warmly received and supported by the leaders in improving health service delivery to the community and its surrounding areas.
Togbe Kweku Ayim IV, the president of the Ziavi Traditional Council, briefed the team about their achievements and challenges in providing healthcare services in the area. He emphasized their goal of establishing a responsive, effective, and result-driven health facility for the community, with the ultimate aim of achieving polyclinic status. Additionally, there is an ongoing project to provide accommodation for the facility’s staff, which is being funded through community self-help and fundraising efforts.
During the visit, the president of the Ziavi traditional council officially granted Ziavi citizenship to the WHO country representative. The Country Representative praised the council’s efforts in promoting the health and well-being of the community. He emphasized the importance of universal health coverage and achieving global development goals by prioritizing health prevention, promotion, and addressing emerging threats. He also expressed his commitment to building strong partnerships during his tenure and Ziavi would be like a second home to him whenever he visits. Finally, the team inspected the Ziavi Health Center and the ongoing construction of a staff bungalow.
Source: Ho Municipal Health Directorate
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