The CHPS policy is aimed at bringing health care closer to the people, particularly those in rural and hard-to-reach communities to enhance primary health care and ensure the attainment of Universal Health Coverage.

Some African American youth leaders who gave the commendation, said the initiative was helping bridge access gaps in health care and, therefore, stressed the need for the programme to be well resourced and sustained.

The 15 youth leaders are from an establishment called Word is Bond, a Black-led nonprofit organisation established in 2017 in Portland, US, to empower young men of African descent as they transition from boys into adulthood.

They were speaking at a meeting with the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Accra last Monday, where the sector Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, was represented by the Director of Technical Coordination at the MoH, Dr Baffour Awuah.

They are being hosted by an NGO, Travel Time Africa, where Mordecai Quaye and Frank Saka are Director and Manager respectively.

Travel Time Africa is a tour organisation based in Accra that promotes arts, culture and investment through tourism.

Advocates

Dr Awuah asked the young men to be advocates of CHPS by soliciting support for the programme to ensure better outcomes, and gave an assurance that the initiative would be sustained by the government.

He took them through the structure of the country’s health system and how the practice of both traditional and orthodox medicines had evolved and improved over time.

Responding to a question on why the government had placed high taxes on sanitary towels that was making it expensive beyond the reach of many young girls, Dr Awuah explained that it was meant to discourage its importation to boost local manufacturing.

“I am told that if the taxes on imported sanitary pads are removed, the local manufacturers’ businesses could collapse.

“The country is trying to move away from the situation where the economy is driven by importation to manufacturing.

“The locally produced ones are less expensive and we want to boost the sector to, among others, create more jobs and make sanitary pads accessible to everyone who needs it at very affordable prices,” he said.

Dr Awuah entreated the young Diasporans to consider coming back to the country to set up businesses, particularly in the agricultural sector. 

Rationale

The Founder of the group, Lakayana Drury, said: “The purpose of the trip is to connect our young men with their ancestral homeland, learn more about the history and impact of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, build bridges with Ghanaian students in high schools and universities, learn about the social and political structures of Ghana, and engage local leaders to discuss socio-economic policies, partnerships and collaborations.

“We are on a two-week leadership trip and are seeking to meet with local leaders in politics, business and education.

“The ages of the young men who are distinguished youth ambassadors from high schools and colleges, range from 17 to 25 years,” he said.

Mr Drury expressed gratitude to the ministry for the reception, the capacity-building and information sharing.