Marie Aziz Tunde, Western Region.
Tapes have been cut to formally open the Sekondi Public Health Laboratory Molecular Testing Center, on the premises of Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital, and the Western Region Public Health Emergency Operations Center.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan who presided over both events said the centres will contribute to disease diagnostics, control and prevention especially in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic which has taken many lives worldwide.
The Public Health Laboratory Molecular Testing Center, on the premises of Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital and the Western Region Public Health Emergency Operations Center both have modern ICT equipment which will serve as a nerve centre for the coordination of public health emergencies in the Western, the Western North and Central regions.
The US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan said spearheading the establishment of the two facilities exhibits the importance the US government through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, attaches to health care delivery.
“Such facilities have become a priority in the wake of covid-19, thus making a clear case on the need to expand localized public health capacity,’’ she stated.
The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma- Aboagye said Covid-19 pandemic which has exposed the gaps in the health delivery value chain, has also brought in its wake the opportunity to address these changes.
“Threat of the third wave makes it imperative for a coordinated effort to minimize its impact. The provision of these two facilities will go a long way to ensure effective data gathering, e-surveillance and an improved turn-around-time for testing and diagnostics towards ensuring health security of the region.’’
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah said the coming on stream of a new Regional Hospital, the upgrading of the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital into a Teaching Hospital and additional four District Hospitals under ‘’Agenda 111’’, makes a case for investment in the pharmaceutical industry in the region to support the health value chain.
He paid tribute to health personnel for the invaluable role they played in helping to control spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
