Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Western Regional launch of the policy in Takoradi, Mr. Nelson stressed that government efforts alone would not be sufficient to achieve the policy’s objectives.

According to him, the active involvement of healthcare professionals, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), traditional authorities, development partners, civil society organisations, and community leaders will be critical to the policy’s success.

“The government cannot achieve these objectives alone. We need the support and commitment of all stakeholders to ensure that quality primary healthcare services become accessible to every Ghanaian, regardless of where they live,” he stated.

Mr. Nelson noted that ongoing efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure at both the district and community levels would significantly improve access to healthcare services and enhance health outcomes across the region.

He described the Free Primary Healthcare Policy as a transformative intervention aimed at reducing barriers to healthcare access and improving the well-being of citizens.

The Minister further assured the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, and other stakeholders of the unwavering support of the Western Regional Coordinating Council in rolling out the policy successfully across the region.

“The Western Regional Coordinating Council remains committed to supporting this initiative. We will continue to work closely with all partners to ensure that the policy achieves its intended impact in our communities,” he added.

At the launch, the District Director of Health Services for Ellembelle, Dr. Augustine Kwesi Amoako, provided stakeholders with an overview of the policy framework and its implementation strategy.

Dr. Amoako explained that the initiative is designed to strengthen primary healthcare delivery by improving access to essential health services, particularly for vulnerable populations and residents in underserved communities.

“This policy seeks to strengthen our healthcare delivery system and ensure that every Ghanaian has access to essential primary healthcare services without financial hardship,” he said.

He noted that the successful implementation of the policy would contribute significantly to the country’s efforts towards achieving universal health coverage and improving healthcare outcomes nationwide.

The Free Primary Healthcare Policy forms part of the government’s broader strategy to expand healthcare access, strengthen preventive healthcare services, and improve the overall quality of care available to Ghanaians.

The 250-bed facility, currently 25% complete, was suspended due to Ghana’s debt restructuring program. President Mahama described the project as a “national responsibility” inherited from the previous administration and pledged to see it through, along with other abandoned developments across the country.

The President made the announcement during a one-day working visit to the Western Region, which began in the Ahanta West Municipality. He noted that the hospital forms part of a broader plan to distribute healthcare facilities more equitably across the nation, reducing pressure on major hospitals.

According to him, engagements with the Official Creditor Committee have paved the way for the Finance Ministry to begin processing contractor certificates—an essential step toward resuming work on the project.

President Mahama later inspected the ongoing Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital expansion in Takoradi, which is 45% complete and expected to be upgraded into a teaching hospital.

He reaffirmed his commitment to ending the cycle of project abandonment whenever power changes hands, stressing that continuity in governance is vital for national progress.

Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson expressed optimism that completing these projects will significantly enhance healthcare delivery in the region.

The Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) has begun a major enforcement exercise across the Greater Accra Region, closing down several health facilities operating without valid licenses.

The operation, part of a broader nationwide inspection, has exposed worrying regulatory lapses in Ghana’s healthcare system. Some facilities were found to be functioning with licenses that expired as far back as 2015.

HeFRA officials, accompanied by police personnel, began the exercise with an unannounced visit to the Life Healthcare Centre inside the Accra Mall. Patients were receiving treatment when inspectors discovered that the facility’s license had expired ten years ago.

Although management claimed the renewal process was underway, officials were unconvinced and ordered the immediate closure of the centre. Another branch of the same company at Junction Mall, operating under a slightly altered name, was also locked down.

Under the Health Institutions and Facilities Act, “No person shall operate a facility unless the facility is licensed under this Act.” HeFRA officials emphasized that the law allows no exceptions.

The team proceeded to Med-line Medical Laboratories at Ashaley Botwe, where the license had expired in July 2024. More than a year later, the facility was still operating illegally. Police officers escorted staff out of the premises as management failed to respond to calls from inspectors.

At Covenant Clinic Limited in Madina, inspectors described the conditions as unsafe, citing peeling paint, leaking roofs, and an open washroom inside the ward. The clinic also had no valid license and was promptly shut down.

The Doku Addy Memorial Clinic was the next to fall under the hammer after officials confirmed it was operating without a permit.

HeFRA has vowed to sustain the clampdown, warning that all unlicensed health facilities nationwide will face similar sanctions.

The operation has reignited public concern about patient safety and regulatory oversight in Ghana’s healthcare sector, sparking questions about how many more such unregulated facilities continue to operate across the country.

source: myjoyonline

The slide listed “7 Signs of a Great CEO”—qualities such as putting people first, nurturing culture, and leading by example. Unfortunately, the health leader at the center of this story fell short on all seven.

Leadership Done Right

In its best form, leadership uplifts. Great leaders inspire, empower, and create environments where individuals and teams thrive. They understand that when people feel valued, morale soars, and results follow.

Leadership Gone Wrong

But what happens when leaders abandon these principles? Over the past decade, one health leader chose intimidation, obstruction, and cruelty over collaboration. The result was devastating.

Instead of fostering growth, he used dismissive language, issued unreasonable demands, and blocked deserving professionals from promotions and opportunities. Some staff were forced to choose between two roles, only to be denied both. The culture of disrespect and fear eroded trust, crushed morale, and turned a once-motivated team into a discouraged, resentful workforce.

The Human and Organizational Toll

The effects went far beyond individuals. Innovation slowed. Enthusiasm vanished. Facilities that once brimmed with energy descended into frustration and underperformance. For many, the only way forward was to resign, take unpaid leave, or seek better opportunities abroad.

Eventually, the leader’s oppressive style collapsed under its own weight. He has since left the position, leaving behind an organization struggling to recover from nearly a decade of lost potential.

The Lesson

The message is clear: leadership by fear is unsustainable. Real success requires respect, integrity, and the nurturing of talent. Cruelty may yield short-term compliance, but it destroys morale, careers, and ultimately, the institution itself.

True leaders build people. False leaders break them. The cost of cruelty—measured in broken spirits and wasted potential—is one no organization can afford.

The town of Adidome in Ghana’s Central Tongu District has launched a bold health initiative—the pioneering Health Kiosk Project—aimed at saving lives through early detection, public education, and lifestyle change in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The commissioning, held on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at Fiagbenu Triangle, brought together traditional leaders, health experts, government officials, civil society partners, and residents united by a common mission: to curb preventable illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and stroke.

A Vision Rooted in Personal Loss and Global Insight

Executive Director of ProHealth Ghana Initiative and Chief of Adidome, Togbe Kwasinyi Kakaklolo Agyeman V, described the project as “a candle of hope” for those unknowingly living with life-threatening conditions.

Citing alarming statistics, he noted that hypertension affects over 1.28 billion people worldwide—nearly half unaware of their condition—and remains a leading cause of premature death. In Ghana, hypertension tops adult hospital admissions and drives high mortality rates.

“In Central Tongu alone, newly confirmed hypertension cases have more than doubled in just two years. We cannot wait until people collapse before acting. Prevention must come first,” he stressed.

The concept, inspired by the premature death of his father, was refined during his participation in a Cambridge Summer School in Nutrition, where it won first prize in an essay competition.

Built on the AKNE model—Awareness, Know your status, Nutrition, Exercise—the kiosk will offer free health screenings, nutrition education, and community-friendly fitness activities. The pilot will run in Adidome before expanding to all five sub-districts of Central Tongu.

Community Action Meets National Policy

Dr. Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, Volta Region’s representative to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), lauded the initiative as an example of traditional leadership driving sustainable change.

“This project aligns perfectly with President John Dramani Mahama’s people-centred health policy, which prioritises community-based care, early detection, and prevention,” he said. “Healthy citizens are the foundation of a productive economy.”

He urged philanthropists, development agencies, and other traditional authorities to replicate the model across the Volta Region.

Responding to a Growing Health Crisis

District Director of Health Services, Baba Awumi, warned that the district is facing a dangerous surge in NCD cases:

• Hypertension: 24% increase in new cases in the past year.

• Emergency care: Severe hypertension is the second leading cause of hospital emergencies at Adidome Government Hospital (2024).

• Mortality: Hypertension complications are the leading cause of institutional deaths.

• Diabetes: 81.6% increase in cases in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

“Most adults here don’t know their blood pressure or sugar levels. By the time they find out, it’s often too late,” Awumi said, adding that the kiosk will bring health checks directly to markets, transport hubs, and streets.

Sustaining the Momentum

Speakers called for strong community participation and sustained funding to keep the kiosk running. ProHealth Ghana Initiative is seeking support from donors, corporate partners, and government bodies to scale the project nationwide.

“Health is not a privilege; it is a right,” Togbe Kakaklolo said. “We must shift from cure to prevention, from silence to awareness, and from inaction to empowerment.”

The launch concluded with appreciation for the Ghana Health Service, the Adidome Development Advisory Board, project supervisor Gideon Agordome, the Wellness Bridge Initiative team, and all who contributed to the milestone event.

source: myjoyonline

Dr Pelpuo, speaking as a guest at the conference themed “Leading the Way: Empowering Safety Professionals to Become Tomorrow’s Safety Leaders,” emphasized the policy’s role in providing a coordinated framework. “This policy will outline the roles of all OSH actors and integrate issues like gender, disability, climate resilience, and the informal economy,” he said, as reported by JoyNews. It will also guide sector-specific safety policies and support businesses in implementing OSH standards.

The minister urged the private sector to prioritize safer workplaces, highlighting that safe environments reduce absenteeism, enhance morale, and drive productivity. He outlined government efforts, including a Special Task Force on Compliance and Enforcement. This task force will conduct nationwide OSH audits and inspections, focusing on high-risk sectors like construction and mining. “The task force engages employers and workers to address safety gaps and ensure compliance with national and international standards,” Pelpuo added.

Ghana is also developing its first National OSH Profile in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO). This profile will provide a detailed overview of the country’s OSH legal framework, risk-prone sectors, training institutions, and accident reporting systems. Dr Pelpuo stressed its importance in identifying and addressing safety challenges systematically.

The HESS Leadership Conference, organized by Ianmatsun Global Services Limited, was praised by Pelpuo for fostering collaboration among stakeholders. Event Director Ian Isaac Nana Adu-Gyamfi noted the conference’s success in uniting regulators, policymakers, and industry leaders. “We brought in experts to show how safety professionals can justify investments in safety technologies,” he said. Topics included risk assessment, security leadership, and collective responsibility, engaging management and staff alike.

Adu-Gyamfi expressed optimism about the conference becoming a national fixture, fostering a safety-first culture in Ghana. The event underscored the need for innovation and collaboration to ensure safe, healthy, and sustainable workplaces. As Ghana prepares to roll out its Occupational Safety and Health Policy, the focus on workplace safety signals a transformative step forward.

Stay informed on Ghana’s Occupational Safety and Health initiatives and their impact on workplaces nationwide!

Source: myjoyonline