"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."
Special Advisor to the Health Minister, who spoke behalf on behalf of the health ministry, assures of the government support in addressing challenges confronting NCDs.
Dr. Baffour Awuah, Special Advisor to the Health Minister, 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.
Dr. Awuah adds that the government is also poised to improve the quality of healthcare and make it affordable to all.
He urges the public to take advantage of the many health policies introduced by the government.
Latest Stories
-
Police fire tear gas to disperse Benin wage protest
8 mins -
Airline keeps mistaking 101-year-old woman for baby
13 mins -
Harvey Weinstein hospitalised after conviction overturned
16 mins -
Anis Hafar: Learning how to avoid wars
21 mins -
Private legal practitioner wins Akan NPP parliamentary candidate poll
38 mins -
American-Israeli hostage appears in Hamas video for first time
49 mins -
Samson’s Take: Arrogance of Power, Shameful Policing
8 hours -
Burnley score late to draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford
10 hours -
Bayer Leverkusen extend unbeaten run to 46 games after draw with Stuttgart
10 hours -
Chelsea come from two goals down to draw against Aston Villa
10 hours -
Andre Ayew scores in Le Havre’s 3-3 draw with PSG
10 hours -
GPL 2023/24: Kotoko draw with Medeama; Samartex go 7 points clear of Nations FC
10 hours -
Mahama cuts sod for construction of new multipurpose Jakpa palace in Damongo
11 hours -
NSS management assists Papao fire victims
11 hours -
EXPLAINER: Will dumsor end soon?
12 hours