Tema, Dec. 15, GNA - Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Deputy Minister of Health, has said government recognizes the immense contributions by the private sector towards the training of health personnel. For this reason, government, in partnership with private institutions, was committed to building a sustainable health system. Mr Mettle-Nunoo made these remarks at the Seventh Matriculation and Graduation of Narh-Bita College, in Tema, on Tuesday. The occasion, which had "Overcoming Challenges Confronting Private Health Training Institutions", as its theme, saw the matriculation and graduation of 230 and 68 students respectively.

The Deputy Minister said the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme had led to a significant increase in health care utilization. For example, he said, outpatient utilization increased from 0.52 visits in 2006, to 0.81 in 2009, an increase of 56 per cent. Such an important increase of utilization, he noted, required the health system to react in terms of staffing, provision of medicines and logistics. He commended the graduates of the College for the sacrifices and hard work, and advised them to stay in the country and contribute to the nation's development.

Dr Edward Narh, President of the College, said capital financing was a major challenge confronting private tertiary health institutions. To help the institutions address the problem, Dr Narh was of the view that the Ministry of Health could guarantee them access to funding from both commercial banks and private equity fund companies.

Miss Victoria Nartey was adjudged the overall best Medical Laboratory Technician student for 2009-10. She received two other prizes for being the best student in Haematology and Clinical Chemistry. In the Medical Assistantship Programme (2009-10), Master Isaac Asiamah emerged as the overall best student. He also took a prize for the best student in Clinical Anatomy.