The Pandemic Fund National Steering Committee was formally established by the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who charged the newly established group with advancing Ghana’s readiness and response to public health emergencies with promptness, accountability, and openness.
The Minister emphasized how vital preparedness is in light of the escalating health risks.
He said that as soon as he took office, he had to deal with a meningitis outbreak in the Upper West Region and a cholera outbreak that had returned to some areas of Greater Accra and the Central Region.
mentioning that there are already over 79 confirmed cases of Mpox in Ghana.
He clarified that strengthening national systems for avoiding, identifying, and responding to public health hazards is the goal of the Pandemic Fund, which is backed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and organized internationally by the World Bank.
Additionally, he disclosed that the cash will help advance early warning surveillance systems, laboratory infrastructure, and health workforce preparedness.
Representatives from important industries, including health, agriculture, finance, women, the environment, civil society, and international development partners, make up the 13-member National Steering Committee.
Under the guiding principles of accountability and openness, the Minister challenged the committee to be a driving force in converting policy into tangible action.
Dr. Sofonias Asrat, Cluster Lead for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), spoke on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO) and reiterated the organization’s commitment to assisting Ghana’s efforts to ensure health security.
He praised Ghana’s recent Joint External Evaluation (JEE), emphasized the need of pandemic preparedness, and conveyed hope that the project will contribute to better performance in the future.
Noting that their leadership would be essential to Ghana’s capacity to effectively address future public health concerns, Dr. Asrat further urged committee members to guarantee transparency and inclusivity in their oversight role.
Senior representatives from the Ghana Health Service, WHO, FAO, UNICEF, World Bank, civil society, academia, and the Ministry of Health were among those present during the inauguration.
Source: newsthemegh.com