Accra, Aug 21, GNA - The Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation will assess the Private Health Sector to provide a strategy and a set of recommendations for Government to help improve its engagement with that sector.

It would also increase the interest of financiers, insurers, investors, and operators from both within and outside Africa in the participation of the sector.

A statement signed by the Acting Chief Director Salamata Abdul- Salam and copied to the Ghana news Agency said the "principal activities of this exercise are the compilation of data for a comprehensive mapping of the private health sector and interviewing of key representatives of selected organizations, groups and associations". She said the study would be carried out by a group of researchers, local and international consultants under the auspices of the Ministry. The acting Chief Director called for full support from those selected and urged them to release relevant information and data during the process' adding that "Additionally, because of the time constraint of the whole project, expediency of your cooperation will be of paramount importance to the whole process".

In an interview with the GNA, Dr. Sam Adjei, former Deputy Director General of the Ghana Health Service and Chief Executive Officer of Centre for Health and Social Services (CHeSS), the assessment of facilities by both private and Public will start on Monday, August 24th 2009 in six districts and metropolitan area. They are the Osu Kloltey Sub Metro, Tema Metropolis in the Greater Accra Region, Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region, Bantama Sub Metro in the Ashanti Region, Duayaw Kwanta in the Brong Ahafo and Tamale in the Northern Region. He said trained enumerators would be visiting both the public and private hospitals, maternity homes, Pharmacy and Chemical Sellers shops and Clinics, as well as, laboratory and diagnostic facilities in those areas to collect information on type of services provided, who owns the facilities and whether the facilities were accredited to the National Health Insurance (NHIS), their staff strength, equipment and supplies. Dr Adjei said based on the data collected, government would be able to design policies to improve the private health sector and enable them to give quality health care in fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The programme launched by the Ministry on July 20, 2009 would provide a fair knowledge of what financial risks the private health sector encountered and how government could facilitate access to resources within the frame work of meeting the overall health goals and objectives.

Health Minister Dr. George Sipa Yankey said Ghana was fortunate to be undertaking an extensive country wide assessment to further appreciate the stakeholders in the private health sector, the critical roles played and their capabilities. He gave the assurance that the private sector unit of the Ministry would also be strengthened and resourced to forge the necessary linkages with the private health sector and embrace the recommendations that would be jointly identified for the implementation by government at the end of the process. 21 Aug. 09