New Director-General of GHS must succeed!!
The Ghanaian Times warmly welcomes the Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea.
He takes over from Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, who served in the GHS for 30 years, including five years as its Director-General.
The Ghanaian Times is glad that Prof. Akoriyea is not a stranger in the terrain he has come to lead as he had previously served for 12 years as the Director of the Institutional Care Division of the GHS.
Besides, those of us working on this paper believe that since the GHS has held an official handover ceremony for Dr Kuma-Aboagye to affirm him as his successor, Prof. Akoriyea has received some reminders from the outgone D-G that can serve as guidance for the way forward.
We are also elated that the new Director-General stated at the handover ceremony that his work would be guided by the health-related commitments in the government’s manifesto and the responsibilities assigned to the GHS.
We believe he has the skills, experience and expertise to lead the GHS to deliver on its mandate, especially the resetting of the health system as espoused in the manifesto of the ruling National Democratic Congress.
We at The Ghanaian Times again believe that as a consultant neurosurgeon, and public health physician, Prof. Akoriyea has carved a niche for himself to succeed in this all-important sector, having, for example, contributed immensely in helping to build the neurosurgeon unit at the Ridge Hospital, now Greater Accra Regional Hospital, providing very important services to patients who may not need to travel outside the country for such specialised areas of healthcare.
Prof. Akoriyea has promised to implement policies to help realise the health-related provisions in the government’s manifesto meant to build a healthy nation for wealth creation, promising to see to the welfare of GHS staff, and ensure high professional and ethical standards, as well as discipline in the GHS.
In a country where some health workers, especially nurses, show disdain to patients, Prof. Akoriyea must be committed to this promise in a tactful manner as he needs to carry along all the workers of the GHS.
Our checks have confirmed that he is an energetic and dynamic leader who can handle the country’s healthcare delivery system, yet we can say without any doubt that he cannot do it all without the co-operation of others, particularly GHS staff, as well as all the stakeholders in the health sector, including professional bodies like the Health Service Workers Union (HSWU), Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA), Ghana Registered Midwives Association (GRMA), Ghana Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA), and Association of Health Services Administrator.
It is our humble hope that all the key stakeholders will co-operate with him to realise his vision for the country.
We particularly hope Prof. Akoriyea would carry the media along so his efforts would be publicised for the public to know his works.
It is widely known that the abundance of natural resources alone is not a good measurement to determine what a wealthy nation, as they must go with a healthy population to lead in the production of goods and services to satisfy human wants.
Therefore, Prof. Akoriyea doesn’t need to be prompted that “a healthy nation is a wealthy nation” before he lives up to his responsibilities.
It is everyone’s expectation that Prof. Akoriyea would succeed in the onerous office he has assumed for the health benefit of the whole country, having at the back of his mind the need for the country to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3, which generally emphasizes good health and well-being for all by 2030.