The exodus of Ghanaian health professionals to seek greener pastures abroad has slowed down due to the government’s policies towards improving the sector, Deputy Minister of Health Abraham Dwuma Odoom has said. Mr Odoom said there were signs of return by some of those who left. He was addressing the New Patriotic Party 16th National Delegates’ Congress at the Sekondi College on Saturday when he took his turn to update members of the Party on the performance of the health sector. Highlights of the three-day meeting included the adoption of the Party’s Election Manifesto and the working out of an effective Campaign strategy to win the December elections. President John Agyekum Kufuor, Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, the flag-bearer and his running mate, Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia were among those who attended. Mr Odoom stated that key indicators showed that the health sector was now in better shape than it was before the NPP assumed power, citing among others hospital attendance, which he said had increased three fold. There has also been a growing intake into health training institutions and massive investment in infrastructure and equipment by the government, he said. For example he said hospital attendance, which stood at 0.38 per capita in 2001, had climbed to 0.7 per capita as of 2007, adding that Brong-Ahafo Region had recorded 1.2 per capita. Additionally, a total of 205 new hospitals and clinics were built with up-grading works being carried out on some existing facilities. Mr Odoom said a National Health Policy had been established to address major health-risk factors through disease prevention. Minister of Manpower and Employment, Nana Akomea, said the Government’s performance in job creation had been impressive, pointing out that a total of 1.7 million Ghanaians entered gainful employment during the first six years of the NPP in government. Latest statistics given by the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) also indicated that jobs through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which between 1994 and the year 2000 stood at 64,700, had shot up to 86,200. At the same time the national minimum wage had increased by 622 percent from 79 Cents to 2.32 dollars. Touching on the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), the Minister said since its introduction in October 2006, it has engaged 108,000 young men and women. He said the Government was establishing the National Youth Employment and Enterprise Fund to help to institutionalize the NYEP and that a National Employment Policy was being put in place. Professor Dominic Fobi, the Education Minister, also spoke about various interventions launched by the government to expand access and ensure the quality of education. Source: GNA