Mrs Lucy Awuni, Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, on Wednesday, said the government deepen the concept of primary health care through the Community-Based Health Planning and Service,(CHPS) which sends healthcare close to the client.
Consequently, the government is working with the Municipal and District Assemblies and other stakeholders to increase the number of functional CHPS zones and to upgrade the skills of the officers posted to such places.
Mrs Awuni said this when she launched the annual Students Representative Council (SRC) week of the Bolgatanga Nursing Training College, at Bolgatanga, on the theme, "Eradication of Malaria from Ghana, the role of the Student Nurse."
The Minister indicated that government was leaving no stone unturned in addressing the human resource development challenges, especially in Health and Education.
One of the challenges confronting the health sector, she said, was getting health personnel to accept posting to rural areas where access to
health care was very crucial.
She said training of middle level personnel, such as mental health nurses and midwives, would be scaled up while post basic programmes such as
public health nurses, would be upgraded to degree programmes.
The Minister assured health personnel that plans were well advanced to put in place some attractive incentive packages for officers who would accept posting to deprived areas.
Dr. John Koku Awoonor-Williams, Regional Director of Health Services, called on the students to exercise high sense of professionalism, team spirit, innovativeness, discipline and integrity in discharging their
duties.
He reminded the students of their role as trainees to combat malaria and other diseases.
Dr. Awoonor-Williams announced that the reintroduction of the Post Basic Certificate Midwifery Programme for Community Health Nurses and Health Assistants (clinical) would begin next academic year to improve on maternal health delivery.
The principal of the school, Mr. Mac Moomin Musah, called on the students to see their profession as a noble one and put in more efforts to qualify and perform well in the health service.