He said innovating on access through infrastructure upgrades and quality through human resource promotions, held the key towards making the existing systems work properly for sustainable healthcare delivery across board.

Prof Ofosu, said this when delivering the keynote address during the opening ceremony of a two-day 2024 Volta Region Annual Health Sector Performance Review in Ho.

It is themed, “Strengthening the Primary Healthcare System for improved Access to Quality Health Service Delivery: The Role of Networks of Practice (NoP), which attracted health professionals across board, and other stakeholders including development partners and chiefs.

It was to take stock of the year under review, challenges, successes and forge future benchmarks to actualize quality healthcare delivery in the Region.

Prof Ofosu said other additions should leverage technology innovations and artificial intelligence resets to the NoPs or network to facilitate telemedicine, electronic health records, health apps, aid diagnosis towards enhancing management of clients to make outcomes better.

He added that the use of wearable health devices and other innovations especially for the non-communicable diseases in the network would greatly help track conditions of patients within the NoPs to enrich quality health delivery.

He suggested a change in the legal regime of financing at the primary health level to ensure that the NoPs could be financed as an entity and not as a facility to give room for more operations at that level.

Prof Ofosu said resources and expertise of the private sector could be harnessed to support infrastructure, equipment supplies among others, when stakeholder and community engagements are escalated.

He advocated a strong monitoring and evaluation frameworks for the networks to measure successes and advised on challenges for improved systems.

“We need an improving collaboration among health workers for a sustainable health system to have sustainable health development.”

He said there was the potential for scaling up the positive impact of the network across the country but “There was need to start from somewhere and get the network functioning properly.”

A recent assessment by the Bono East Regional Health Directorate Peer Review Team indicated the region was categorised as a ‘highly performing region’ from that of a ‘moderately performing region’ in the Holistic Assessment and scoring an overall 40 per cent, from three objectives and 48 indicators.

The Region however scored an overall 38 per cent in the 2023 assessment.

The Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, in reaction to the 2024 performance review score remarked, “there’s more room for improvement,” while assuring that the analysis and recommendations from the event would be strongly pursued by the Regional Coordinating Council.

He suggested if possible the Ghana Health Service should adopt the ‘Police Administrative system’ of decentralisation, where Divisional and District Police Commands, coexist and interact actively, reaching out to the people in record time to combat crime.

Mr Gunu said for proper health decentralisation for more and quicker outcomes the Police system comes handy and urged the GHS to explore it.

Prof Lydia Aziato, Vice Chancellor of University of Health and Allied Sciences, who chaired the event said the role of Network of Practice (NoPs), was timely and relevant with the model offering an innovative approach to enhancing service delivery at all levels.

“As we deliberate, let us explore ways to strengthen our primary healthcare structures further, to ensure equitable access and improved health outcomes for all,” let us mainstream the inclusion of traditional authorities, who are the embodiment of development at the community levels.

She called for greater empathy, ethical care and enhanced evidence-base practices.