General News of Friday, 1 May 1998

Source: --

Govt. will support private sector to provide affordable health care.

The Health Minister, Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah, today said it is government's intention to support private medical practitioners to provide affordable and accessible health care. In this respect, government is providing the enabling environment for those who want to invest in the health care delivery. The minister mentioned the provision of updated data on patients such as consulting room registers to the private health sector as part of mechanisms to foster collaboration. Dr Brookman-Amissah was launching "The story of Nyaho Clinic", a publication by Dr Kwami Nyaho Tamaklo, a private medical practitioner. Dr Brookman-Amissah said this is to ensure that private health care delivery becomes accessible and affordable to the citizenry. The minister noted that, over the years, the private health sector has improved health care delivery through the provision of experts, modern facilities and the development of intimate doctor-patient relationship which have been lacking in the government sector. This, she remarked, has no doubt filled and continues to fill the yawning gap in the health sector despite the usually high cost of service. Dr Brookman-Amissah, who served in Nyaho Clinic as a resident medical doctor for four years, noted the leadership and pioneering role of the clinic, saying the name 'Nyaho Clinic' has become synonymous with excellent and quality health care delivery.