About 13,216 people made up of hospital managers, policy makers and healthcare professionals and financiers, pharmaceutical experts, health administrators and think tanks across the world are expected to participate in the maiden West Africa Health Summit scheduled to take place in Accra from February 22 to 24, 2019.

The conference aims among other things to: discuss and showcase best practices in healthcare among healthcare facilities in Africa; discuss and explore ways to enhance cooperation and collaboration between hospitals and healthcare facilities in Africa; match hospital leaders, health decision makers and healthcare stakeholders to relevant health financiers, service providers, manufacturers and suppliers of new technologies and products for improved healthcare in Africa; and promote Intra-Africa healthcare collaboration through Telemedicine and other technologies for improved healthcare in Africa.

The Summit will also promote exchange of ideas and expertise among healthcare professionals in Africa as well as promote ultrasound medicine in Africa.

More than 15 concurrent conferences and over 30 side events with over 40 speakers in various disciplines ranging from Health Finance, Health Management and Administration, Public Health and Medical Ethics, Telemedicine, Mental Health, UN SDGs, Public Health, Nursing, Traditional and Herbal Medicine, Diagnostics and Interventional Ultrasound among others are expected run during the three-day event which is under the theme “Collaborating through networking and technology for improved healthcare in Africa”.

The Summit is expected to further stimulate cooperation among African Healthcare Facilities and also create an African Healthcare Directory to continuously bring to light, the progress and successes made by healthcare facilities on the continent.

The Acting Chief Director at the Ministry of Planning, Mrs. Magdalene Appenteng, who launched the Summit on behalf of the Sector Minister, Prof. George Gyan Baffour, in Accra last Wednesday said the event will stimulate cooperation among African Healthcare Facilities and create an African Healthcare Directory to continuously bring to light the progress and successes made by healthcare facilities on the continent.

She also stated that government’s commitment to good health care delivery is on course, as it has released some GH?930m to clear part of the National Health Insurance Scheme arrears.

The Executive Director of Oriental Biomedical Services (OBS), Daniel Dwamena, who is the brain behind the Summit, commenting on the event said “We need to learn from each other and be better prepared when it comes to healthcare in Africa”.

On his part, the Director of Ambulance Service, Prof. Nuhu Zakaria indicated that there is no time to reinvent the wheel since all that the world needs to address the numerous challenges confronting the health sector is collaboration and networking.

A representative from the Mental Health Authority, Kweku Asenso Brobbey, also bemoaned the inadequate psychiatrists and psychiatric centers in the country and noted that technology can help bridge that gap.

“Tele-psychiatry is the solution to improving mental healthcare delivery in the country”, he emphasized.

Dr. Sheik Ameen Bonsu, CEO of Ameen Herbal Center also commenting on the launch of the Summit said “This is a good course which will bring about better healthcare in our region. It will help us to cut down on importation of drugs and other healthcare tools and create jobs for the teeming youth”. He lauded the government for promoting traditional medicine.

Dr. Charles Dwamena, Ghana’s Deputy Ambassador to China said that the embassy is excited about the summit and will be looking to leverage its economic relationship with Chinese businesses to get them to come on board and exhibit at the summit.

The summit is under the auspices of Oriental Biomedical Services and in partnership with the Health Ministries of some African countries as well as the ECOWAS Commission, the AU and the World Health Organization and other leading international health organizations.

Participants and exhibitors at the 2019 event will benefit from four exclusive events including Springboard,Africa Health Directory, B2B dialogue and Continental Telemedicine Project.