The Director-General of Ghana Health Service, Dr Elias Sory, has commended the integrated approach to health care delivery in the Nkwanta District. He said that had resulted in a reduction in communicable diseases in the area. Under the Community Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) Programme, being undertaken on pilot basis in the district, communities are actively involved in health management through Community Health Nurses in the rural areas. The programme has a well-laid referral system, under which patients in critical conditions are sent to particular health facility depending on the illness. Dr Sory made the commendation when launching the Ghana Essential Medicine Initiative (GEMI) project at Kecheibi in the Nkwanta District. The project seeks to improve access to child and reproductive health services through a sustainable essential drug cost exemption scheme coupled with appropriate maternity education. It includes developing and testing health management information systems for monitoring service delivery in rural areas. Dr Sory stressed the need for the CHPS programme to be replicated nation-wide to achieve results and urged health workers to double their efforts in providing services to patients. Dr Koku Awoonor-Williams, Nkwanta District Director of Health Services said the project was a partnership for health development between the GHS, Population Council and four United States Pharmaceutical Companies targeted at pregnant women, children and the vulnerable in the communities. He commended World Vision International (WVI) for assisting the project at Kecheibi and would be replicated in other districts. Dr Awoonor-Williams said drugs under the project would take care of malaria, diarrhoea, cough and cold, upper respiratory tract infection and the six childhood killer diseases. Source: GNA