The world is only seven years away from the deadline for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the heart of the efforts to achieve these goals by 2030 is strong partnership, collaboration, and solidarity at all levels of governance.
The World Health Organization (WHO) as part of its 75th anniversary is deepening engagements and galvanizing support at all levels to accelerate the attainment of universal health coverage as enshrined in SDG 3 - towards Health for All.
The WHO Representative to Ghana, Prof Francis Kasolo has rolled up his sleeves and is leading from the field to mobilize communities, healthcare workers as well as state and non-state actors to support the health for all agenda in Ghana.
“Health is everyone’s business, and so everyone must be involved in how we achieve health for all. Therefore, our engagements are an opportunity to listen and share ideas with everyone on how we can work together to promote health.” says Prof Kasolo as he embarked on a mission to engage with stakeholders in Ghana’s Volta and Oti regions.
As a transformational leader, Prof Kasolo is not new to leading from the frontlines where healthcare services are provided. Since 2021, he has visited and engaged with stakeholders in Ashanti, Western North, Western, Eastern, Central, Northern, Upper East, Volta and Oti Regions, with a plan to visit the remaining six regions by the end of October 2023.
“The visit of the WHO Representative to our region is a symbol of WHO’s unwavering commitment to working with us to improve the health and wellbeing of our people,” noted Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, Acting Regional Director of Health Service for Volta Region.
As a staunch believer in collaboration, Prof Kasolo in his tour of the Volta Region advocated for stronger partnerships among health authorities, health workers and communities to enhance ongoing efforts to promote health at all levels in the regions visited.
Further, Prof Kasolo called for more investment to strengthen Ghana’s health system through primary healthcare to respond to the evolving health needs of people in every part of the country.
For health workers in the Volta and Oti regions, engagement with WHO was key to helping them appreciate the significant role they can play to help achieve health for all. They expressed their commitment to playing their roles diligently to improve health service delivery.
“We are very excited about our interactions with Prof Kasolo,” says Epiphania Elikem Kuboafor, Acting Nurse Manager at the Ketu South Municipal Hospital. “He has inspired us to continue giving our best to support the health for all agenda being championed by WHO”.
Leaving no one behind in access to health services
During his tour of the Oti Region, Prof Kasolo engaged authorities and communities on building strong health systems that adequately respond to the needs of people and leave no one behind in access to quality healthcare services.
The region, which is one of the deprived regions in Ghana has 320 island and riverine communities that are difficult to reach with health services. In response to this challenge, WHO and partners have been providing technical, financial and logistical assistance to take health services to the doorstep of the people in these islands.
“As a new region, we have relied on WHO and other partners to help us in bridging the inequities in access to health services,” indicated Dr Osei Kuffour Afreh, the Region Director of Health Services for Oti Region. “We are optimistic that this visit by Prof Kasolo will lead to more support to enable us to provide more services to those in hard-reach areas.”
On his part, Prof Kasolo commended healthcare workers who are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that healthcare services reach the people of these hard-to-reach communities.
“It is gratifying to see that despite risks and challenges, health workers are working hard to bring services to these communities. By these great acts of dedication and selflessness, they are giving meaning to the health for all agenda”.
In 2021, WHO and Gavi supported the region to rent boats to facilitate the movement of health care workers as they take immunization services to island communities to catch up with children who missed their vaccination. The region also received a vehicle, motorbikes and office equipment from WHO to strengthen the health system.
Communications Officer
WHO Ghana Country Office
Email: sayibui [at] who.int (sayibui[at]who[dot]int)
Tel: +233 25 795 7942