Bolgatanga, Aug. 10 GNA - Participants at a meeting in Bolgatanga to discuss the New Health Policy on Wednesday called on the Government to place more emphasis on poverty reduction.

They argued that the poorer the people were the more susceptible they would be to illnesses thereby unable to put up their best in their various responsibilities towards national development. The new policy identifies poverty as a major cause of under-nutrition and ill health, it increases the spread of diseases and reduces productivity, it also undercuts the effectiveness of health services and slows down population control.

"Health suffers most in situations where economics have been unable to secure adequate income levels for all, where social systems have collapsed and where environmental resources have been poorly managed." The New National Health Policy is under the theme: 'Creating Wealth through Health' and is aimed at providing the necessary environment and inputs towards improving health service delivery.

It would also guide the Ministry of Health to achieve its mission, which is to contribute to the socio-economic development and wealth creation by promoting health and vitality, ensuring access to quality health, population and nutrition services for all people living in Ghana and promoting the development of a local health industry.

The New Policy views health in its broader sense as a multi-sectoral programme focusing on physical, social, economic and spiritual dimensions which could bring total health to individuals, their families and communities. It, therefore, promotes a shift from lucrative to health promotion and the prevention of ill-health as a healthy population could only be achieved if there were improvements in environmental hygiene and sanitation, proper housing, the provision of potable water, safe food and nutrition.

The Policy supports the development of a holistic gender sensitive, integrated and seamless health service comprising allopathic, traditional and alternative providers, public and private sectors, home based care and community based services. Participants at the meeting included Health Personnel, Civil and Public Servants and representatives of some nongovernmental organisations operating in the Upper East Region. They are studying the policy to enable them to make inputs. 10 Aug. 06