The Minister of Health, Major Courage Quashigah has urged health service workers to partner their counterparts in other sectors of the economy to render quality service. This will enable Ghana to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and middle income status by 2015. He noted that health is at the centre of any development and the majority of the Millennium Development Goals are health related.
However, low productivity in the various sectors of the economy, particularly health will be a disincentive towards the country achieving long life expectancy, wealth and general wellbeing of its people. Major Quashigah was addressing delegates of the Health Service Workers’ Union of the Ghana Trades Union Congress at their 9th Quadrennial National Conference, in Kumasi.
The theme for the three day event is, Labour-management Relations in promoting Quality Health Care, Achievements, Challenges and prospects, 50 Years and Beyond. Major Quashigah said, Malaysia has been able to achieve all but one of the Millennium Development Goals. This means that Ghana can achieve some if not all of the goals within the next six years, if concerted efforts are made by all sectors of the economy to contribute their quota towards making it become a reality.
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Elias Sory announced that a Customer Service Training Programme is to begin soon at all levels of the Service. It will be part of a crusade to promote good customer care, with a view to improving the corporate image of the Ghana Health Service. The General Secretary of the Health Services Workers’ Union, John Akoto, called on media houses, churches and mosques to create platforms to continue to draw attention of the people on the alarming rate at which the HIV/AIDS pandemic is spreading, and the need for people to change their sexual lifestyles.
