Accra, Oct.9, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor, on Thursday, tasked medical practitioners and other healthcare providers to make the necessary professional and technical input to the formulation of the Legislative Instrument for the successful operation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He said although the introduction of the Scheme was a challenging move, it was crucial for increasing Ghanaians accessibility to health care, especially the most vulnerable members of society. President Kufuor was speaking at a durbar of the Management and Staff of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to climax activities marking the 80th anniversary celebrations of Ghana's premier hospital.

The Hospital established in October 1923 is celebrating the occasion under the theme: "Korle-Bu in Transition: Real Autonomy, More Efficiency."

President Kufuor also unveiled a new logo and inaugurated a new 3.5 billion cedis 24-hour service laboratory built from the Hospital's own resources.

He said Government was mindful of the great allure for medical officers, pharmacists and nurses to seek better-paid jobs overseas and, therefore, appreciated the will power of those who have chosen to stay and work in Ghana.

"Government also appreciates an increased workload for the staff in the immediate short term on the launch of the Scheme. I am confident, however, that all medical personnel will ably rise up to the challenge in keeping with the ethics and spirit of their high calling", he said. President Kufuor said the celebrations, should signify their renewed collective commitment to the resuscitation and modernization of the Hospital, adding, "our resolve must be to transform Korle-Bu Hospital into a world-class centre of excellence for health delivery in all its departments to the benefit of Ghanaians and others that require special medical attention".

He commended the current Management Team for rising to the challenge and demonstrating ingenuity in the use of resources, especially human resource to achieve some successes.

"Government expects that this will restore the job pride of the staff and enhance the quality of health delivery in the hospital", he said.

Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health, appealed to the Management and Staff to foster closer relationship with other health institutions of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to enable the Ministry to achieve total quality healthcare for Ghanaians.

He said they should endeavour to channel their grievances through the Management Board for redress and not to resort to actions that adversely affected poor and innocent patients.

Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Chief Executive of the Hospital, appealed to Ghanaians to embrace the NHIS and the mode of its financing. He said Ghanaians were not generating enough wealth, therefore, no matter where the Government took money to finance the Scheme, the people would feel some pinch but it was worth it, adding, "health is very important so let us all work hard to make the Scheme a success".

Professor Frimpong-Boateng said to help stem the tide of exodus of health personnel, especially nurses, the hospital was in the process of facilitating the acquisition of plots of land for staff.

He expressed the hope that the staff would make use of innovative programmes such as housing loans being proposed by the Ministry to build their own houses.

Professor Samuel Ofosu-Amaah, Chairman of the Management Board, said despite the numerous problems facing the hospital, it had fulfilled the vision of the founding fathers especially Sir Gordon Guggisberg, the Governor who built it.