Afrigather Ghana, 7 April 2023 – Right now, on World Well being Day, World Well being Group (WHO) celebrates its seventy fifth anniversary. In 1948, nations of the world got here collectively and based WHO to advertise well being, preserve the world secure and serve the susceptible – so everybody, all over the place, can attain the best stage of well being and well-being.
Working with 194 Member States throughout six areas and on the bottom in additional than 150 places of work, WHO envisions a world the place Well being for All is realized. The proper to well being is a fundamental human proper that promotes well being and well-being, dignity, and high quality of life for everybody, regardless of who they’re, the place they dwell or what they do.
In Ghana, WHO has supported the nation with technical and monetary assist in constructing a resilient well being system that’s able to withstanding shocks. WHO has additionally prolonged assist within the battle in opposition to ailments, resulting in the interruption of Wild poliovirus in addition to the elimination of Guinea worm, Trachoma, Human African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping illness) and Neonatal Tetanus as public well being issues. The group has additionally assisted the nation within the improvement of strategic paperwork such because the Nationwide Motion Plan for Well being Safety, Nationwide technique on non-communicable ailments together with Psychological Well being, the Complete Multi-12 months Plan for the Expanded Programme on Immunization and the Nationwide Modern Well being Financing Technique.
“WHO’s seventy fifth anniversary is a chance for us to replicate on the outstanding achievements of our collective efforts to advance the well being and wellbeing of the individuals of Ghana,” says Dr Francis Kasolo, WHO Consultant in Ghana. “It is usually the prospect for us to rally round a typical agenda and strengthen our dedication to deal with rising well being challenges in the direction of reaching well being for all.”
On the coronary heart of ‘well being for all’ is the attainment of Common Well being Protection by way of major well being, the place individuals can have entry to inexpensive, equitable, good high quality and sustainable well being care. In Ghana, round 36.2% of well being expenditure comes out of individuals’s pockets and consequently, important variety of individuals proceed to be pushed additional beneath the poverty line on account of spending on well being. Nationwide well being methods ought to due to this fact place major well being care because the entry level right into a well being system which not solely treats unwell well being but additionally prevents sickness and promotes good well being thus decreasing the necessity for costlier healing companies.
Though Ghana has made important progress in the direction of reaching Common Well being Protection (UHC) as demonstrated within the enchancment of the nation’s UHC service protection index from 35 in 2010 to 47.8 in 2021, it’s important that these beneficial properties are consolidated by adhering to Ghana’s UHC roadmap.
The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic has rolled again the hard-won beneficial properties made in areas akin to routine immunization in opposition to vaccine-preventable childhood ailments and antenatal attendance. Up to now three years an estimated 21 million youngsters haven’t obtained a single vaccine dose. In 2021 alone, the world recorded the worst decline in routine immunization in 30 years, and WHO estimates that with out fast motion to catch up and get again to regular immunization protection, the worldwide immunisation figures is not going to return to pre COVID-19 ranges till 2027.
In distinction to the worldwide immunisation image, in Ghana, 1.24 million youngsters obtained the third dose of the Diphtheria-Pertussis-Tetanus (DPT) containing vaccine in 2022 in comparison with the 1.17 million youngsters who obtained the identical vaccine in 2019. This outstanding efficiency was achieved by way of concerted assist by WHO and different companions to maintain the supply of important companies, together with immunization.
As we rejoice the WHO 75 anniversary, we stay dedicated to working with all stakeholders to assist Ghana’s well being sector priorities in the direction of reaching the best stage of well being for all Ghanaians.
