By Razak Baba
The Ghana Health Service Administration says the perennial issue of inadequate supply chain professionals across all levels needs to be addressed as soon as possible to ensure the sustainability of reforms in the health sector.
It has therefore more likely to affect the smooth implementation of the Ghana Electronic Procurement System popularly known as GHANEPS.
This concern was raised at the 14th Annual General Meeting and Continuous Professional Development programme of the Health Supply Chain Practitioners Association, Ghana, in Kumasi.
Razak Baba and Francis Abedi report that the Health Service Supply Chain Practitioners Association, Ghana evolved from the Civil Service Materials Management Class Association.
It is a professional Association for Procurement And Supply Chain Staff within the health sector. The Association promotes growth and ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of duties as supply chain practitioners.
It is in this regard that a Continuous Professional Development programme has been incorporated into its Annual General Meetings, with the motto “value for money, accountability and professionalism”.
The theme for this year’s annual general meeting was “Sustaining Ghana’s Health Supply Chain with Improved Research and Data”.
The National President of the Health Service Supply Chain Practitioners Association, Ghana, Mr. Stephen Sakyi called for Practitioners to be made part of the core management at the various regional and district levels as it pertains currently at the national level. This he noted will enable them to bring their rich experiences to bear in public procurement.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority, Dr. Kwame Prempeh warned service providers against using fraudulent means to win supply contracts as perpetrators caught will be severely dealt with under the law.
The Director of Supply Stores and Drugs Management of the Ghana Health Service, Madam Araba Kudiabor called on the Ministry of Health to engage the Ministry of Finance to get financial clearance for the recruitment of Supply Chain Professionals, as the nonavailability of such caliber of staff within the health sector was likely to affect the smooth implementation of the Ghana Electronic Procurement System popularly known as GHANEPS.