Winneba (C/R), Jan. 29, GNA - The Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Director of Health Service, Dr. G. K. Morrison, has described the Global Fund (GF) established by the United Nations (UN) to fight Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and Tuberculosis (TB), as a 'window of hope' for healthcare providers in Government Hospitals and Clinics. The fund, Dr. Morrison stated, offers better prospects of reducing both morbidity and mortality rates chalked by these deadly diseases as well as the socio-economic costs associated with the prevalence of these diseases.

Dr. Morrison, who is also the Technical Adviser of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (AESDMHIS), was addressing workers of the various health institutions in the district at an annual get-together organized by the District Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) at Winneba on Friday. Admittedly, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, and TB still poses the greatest challenge to healthcare providers, "fortunately for us, we have evidence-based, cost effective interventions in place which when scaled up can adequately help us to address these challenges", Dr Morrison further stated.

He said in spite of the numerous constraints facing health workers, service providers in the district were able to put in excellent performance at all levels to chalk remarkable successes in their operations last year. The District Health Director mentioned expanded programme of immunisation, reproductive and child services, maternal mortality, four successive rounds of polio immunization exercises, and the successful launching and the subsequent take-off of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (AESDMHIS) as some of the feats the directorate recorded the previous year. Dr. Morrison commended health workers in the district for their good work adding, "I have no doubt in my mind that you would work harder than before to enable us to record more of such admirable achievements at the end of this year".

This way, "we would be able to maintain the appreciable record that we have collectively set for ourselves and the Ghana Health Service in general".

Dr. Morrison charged service providers in the district not to be complacent with their achievements but always ensure that they were constantly and fully guided by the laws and ethics of their profession to enable them to achieve set targets and most significantly the millennium goals.

According to Dr Morrison, this year his administration would lay greater emphasis on prudent financial management practices, strict adherence to the procurement law, ACT 663, strengthening surveillance system for early detection, reporting and responding to disease outbreaks, improving strategies and accelerating efforts at elimination of neo-natal tetanus and leprosy. The Directorate will also intensify efforts at controlling priority diseases. Jan. 29 06