Tarkwa, Dec. 6, GNA - The Tarkwa Hospital Endowment Fund has been launched at a ceremony at Tarkwa.

Speaking at the launch Dr Sylvester Anemana, the Western Regional Director of Health Services, said what government has been able to do so far was to improve on salaries for health workers. He said a few new hospitals such as the new hospital for Tarkwa and Essam and new health centres in Bonsu Nkwanta and Dadieso are being constructed.

Dr Anemana said central government alone cannot undertake all these projects and that was why local initiatives such as the Tarkwa Hospital Endowment Fund needed to be encouraged.

He said the SWAP arrangement, which was established between health development partners and the Ministry of Health and which was the major source of non-salary recurrent budget of the MOH, is on the verge of collapse.

The Regional Director said donor funds are no longer flowing to support the activities of health institutions. "A new policy is emerging under which hospitals will be gradually weaned off the non-salary recurrent budget and will be expected to derive sufficient revenue from MHIS for their recurrent budgetary needs."

He said when Health Insurance was introduced some people were of the opinion that as part of the change process health facilities in the country would be given a face lift and developed to offer quality service.

This never happened because the financial outlay involved in providing a face-lift for all health facilities, addressing the health and manpower problems and providing logistics to work with is certainly enormous.

Outlining the objectives of the fund, Dr Ebenezer Acquah, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said it was to provide accommodation facilities for staff, provide a utility vehicle for outreach services, to facilitate end of year award scheme to motivate hard working staff and to maintain the hospital. 06 Dec 06