The Rev. Herbert Oppong, Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) on Thursday announced that the church had 39 health care facilities that were providing quality health care to both rural and urban communities in the country. "The PCG is third to the government and the Roman Catholic Church in the provision of curative and preventive services to clients across the country". Rev. Oppong announced this when he inaugurated a six-member Health and Environment Committee set up by the Department of Development and Social Services (DDSS) of the church to oversee the day-to-day functioning of the church’s health institutions. The committee would also advise on the overall policy for running of the health institutions, review report, negotiate with government, mobilise resources and advise the General Assembly on environmental issues. He said providing quality health care had been a key issue to the church, especially in an era where the country was faced with shortage of health personnel to man such institutions. "The Department is addressing this through the institution of scholarship scheme to train more nurses. Efforts are also being made by the various Presbyterian health institutions to train staff from their own resources", he added. Rev. Oppong said the biggest challenge facing the church was however the increasing request for health care centres by rural communities as against dwindling donor support for such facilities and tasked the committee to identify other sources of funding of health care programmes. "We will require the committee to assist the church in this endeavour. The option may include creating an endowment fund, lobbying government and NGOs to direct resources into the church's health institutions". Rev Kwabena Yeboah-Duah, Director, DDSS said the church recognised the importance of quality health care delivery to ensure productivity adding, "It is in this direction that the church had extended quality health care delivery to almost every corner of the country". Members of the Committee include Dr. Kofi Adadey, Chairman and retired medical practitioner, Mr Moses Oduro and Mr Ben Botwe both business executives, Mr David Mintah, Pharmacist, Mr William Marfo, an environmentalist and Mr Sam Appiah, Coordinator of PCG Health Services. Source: GNA