Accra, April 30, GNA - The Ministry of Health (MOH) and its development partners on Friday signed an Aide Memoir (a memorandum summarizing the items of an agreement) to renew their commitment and support for the health sector in 2011.

The signing followed a health summit on the theme: "From Strategy to Action," which reviewed previous performance, took stock and planned ahead for next year. The development partners included Royal Netherlands Embassy, UN Systems in Ghana, Royal Danish Embassy, Embassy of Japan and the World Bank. Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Deputy Health Minister initialed for Ghana while representatives of the development partners initialed for their respective institutions.

He said despite the sector's high performance, reduction in HIV/AIDS and guinea worm infection; there was the need to improve on neo-natal and child health, fragmentation and inter-sectoral collaboration in the sector. Mr Mettle-Nunoo said the Ministry would have to tackle the challenges of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), high maternal mortality rate and passage of health bills such as mental health and tobacco bills. He noted that it was imperative on government to improve the service delivery at all levels to ensure synergy in the health sector and expressed gratitude for the frank and open discussion at the meeting. "Although the sector has come a long way, it still has a long way to go", he added.

Mr Stig Barlyng, Danish Ambassador to Ghana, on behalf of the development partners noted with great satisfaction the active engagement and commitment shown by the Ministry and Parliamentary Select Committee on Health.

He called for short to medium term solutions to challenges such as human resource distribution, commodity security and access of the poor to health and future financial and sustainability of the NHIS. Mr Barlyng reiterated commitment of the development partners to transact business, address and reduce fragmentation in the sector but added that strong leadership from the Ministry was required. ".We are witnessing an increasing recognition by all stakeholders in the sector as well as the willingness to contribute and address the challenges faced by the sector in a concerted way under the leadership of MOH," he added.

Mr Barlyng said leadership and dialogue were paramount for the country to succeed adding that health, law and finance were equally important to ensuring access to health care for all Ghanaians.