AngloGold Ashanti, GIZ launch Community Health Programme for Obuasi
The Queen mother of Akrokeri; Nana Serwaa Buruwaa launched the programme together with some senior managers of AngloGold Ashanti.
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana Limited has partnered with GIZ to launch a Community Health Programme for the people of Obuasi.
The project is expected to deal with COVID-19 and its impact on the health systems and livelihoods of people within the Obuasi Municipality and Obuasi East District.
The pandemic exposed laxities in the health system which the new program seeks to address. When implemented, the three-year Obuasi Community Health Programme will consolidate all existing health interventions under the auspices of AGA and make them more visible and sustainable.
During the launch of the programme in Obuasi, Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo; Senior Manager, Sustainability who was excited about the partnership with GIZ, also revealed that the programme will ensure the strengthening of health systems in Obuasi and provide quality healthcare.
He explained that the pandemic exposed challenges in the health system such as lack of equipment, PPEs, emergency preparedness awareness capability amongst others.
He revealed that as part of the partnership, GIZ will bring in the School of Public Health of the University of Ghana to support the emergency preparedness capability development both within the Assembly system as well as the health system. He stated that the programme will collaborate with the health Directorates to expand health facilities where necessary and also deal with issues of maternal health and the prevention of communicable diseases and other community health issues. The keep Obuasi clean campaign, he revealed, will also be repackaged and made more robust and sustainable.
Mr. Baidoo hinted that the project will also provide support to small businesses to enable them draw business continuity plans.
A technical Advisor for GIZ; Madam Mary Bonsu, said the timing of the project is very crucial and added that pandemic preparedness should also be seen as an economic issue as much as it is considered a health issue considering the impact of the pandemic on livelihoods. She revealed that by the end of the program in 2024, about 60, 000 catchment community members should have been enrolled on the National Health Insurance Scheme and remained active in usage and renewal. Also, 10, 000 community members should have taken tests to determine their health status including COVID-19 and 70% should have increased their score by 20% between the beginning and end of the project, and 150, 000 catchment community members should have received medical care including vaccinations for COVID-19 and other vaccinations.
Delphine Gborgblorvor, Obuasi East District health Director for her part reminded all citizens that when it comes to health, there is only one Obuasi. She lauded the good relationships amongst health facilities and workers within the Obuasi enclave which she said is characterized in the sharing of resources amongst the health facilities. She pledged her outfit’s support for the program and her deep desire to see a successful outcome of the program.
Obuasi was one of the Ghanaian communities that was most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; a situation that tested the public Health system there to its limit.
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