Align your support to GHS’s priorities – Director-General appeals to health partners

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has emphasized the need for more harmonized partnerships to improve health outcomes in the country.

Speaking at the GHS Partners Meeting in Accra on November 5, the Director-General, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, noted that while partnerships have been instrumental in advancing public health in Ghana, there are concerns about the current development architecture.

The meeting aimed to strengthen coordination and alignment of partner support to GHS priorities, present a draft Development Partner Mapping Framework and Data Collection Tool, identify active partner interventions by region/district/program area, and discuss harmonization and reduction of duplication/fragmentation in support.

Dr. Akoriyea highlighted several shifts in the development ecosystem that are affecting the country’s health sector, including a movement from funding GHS-led programs to direct partner implementation, increased earmarked funding instead of pooled or budget support funding, and a growing reliance on third-party implementers.

These shifts, he noted, have consequences, including weakened national ownership, distorted national priorities, and parallel systems that are difficult to sustain.

He also expressed concerns about the capacity-building initiatives offered by partners, calling for a more harmonized approach to partnerships, where development assistance complements and strengthens the health system rather than creating silos and parallel structures.

‘‘While capacity building is essential, it often lacks coordination, leading to inequitable access to training opportunities and overstretching of staff. I will encourage you our partners to align your support with GHS priorities to reduce duplication and fragmentation in their activities. We are not just supporters; you are co-architects of our national health outcomes.’’ He noted.

The expected outcomes of the meeting included a consolidated understanding of partner activities and geographic/program coverage, agreement on data-sharing schedules for partner mapping, establishment of a partner coordination framework, and agreement on next steps and timelines.

Source: 3news.com