Accra May 18, GNA - The Ministry of Health is designing a framework to contract services of private health providers to enable them to effectively participate in the delivery system. Dr Mrs Gladys Ashitey, Deputy Minister of Health, speaking at the Annual General Council Meeting of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) under the theme: "Witnessing Christ in the Healing Ministry" said the Ministry was aware of CHAG's role in supplementing government efforts in quality health care delivery.

Christian Health Association of Ghana is an organization that aims at providing quality and equitable health care to Ghanaians. They operate mainly in the rural areas of Ghana.

CHAG has been granted accreditation by the Ghana National Health Service (GNHS) programme because it has experience and has facilities all over the country.

Dr Ashitey said the Ministry allocated vehicles to nursing, midwifery institutions and others within the CHAG Sector to help it in its work.

She noted that in some districts and regions CHAG reports made the work of the Ghana Health Service complete and she called for closer collaboration between all agencies working within the Health Sector. Dr Ashitey said the Sector was dialoguing with the Ministry of Finance to obtain approval for financial clearance to recruit and replace staff for effective health service delivery in various health facilities including CHAG.

The Minister gave the assurance that the Ministry was committed to fostering better relations with Association in the years ahead. Dr Albert Quainoo, Chairman of CHAG, said the Association had plans to institute a national Christian Health Week for all churches to observe.

He mentioned that all CHAG facilities were adequately prepared towards successful implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

The Association was facing staff replacement, recruitment and training, he said.

Dr Quainoo urged members of the Association to rededicate themselves to their call to heal and stay focused.

The Reverend Father Joseph Atadana of the National Catholic Secretariat said the Christian Health workers should lead patients beyond medicaments to the grace of Christ as the most active ingredient in every medicine administered.

"The hospital is a place where God's love is manifested at its best and you as Christian workers are giving the rare privilege to witness to Christ in his healing Ministry".