GHS Maps Schools, Churches And Mosques into CHPS Zones
The Director-General of the Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has announced that schools, churches and mosques across the country have been mapped within Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) zones.
These are to serve as centres for monthly health education under the Government’s flagship Free Primary Healthcare (FPHC) Initiative.
The initiative, he explained, forms part of a comprehensive strategy to strengthen preventive healthcare through monthly community durbars, household visits and sustained health promotion activities aimed at bringing quality healthcare closer to the people.
Elaborating further on the Free Primary Healthcare, he mentioned that home visits will become routine; out of the 5 days within the week, 3 days are for home visits, the fourth day shall be used for clinical work at the health facility level, while the fifth day will be for outreach services including community durbars and vaccination campaigns amongst others.
The patient navigator (a visiting nurse) shall book and coordinate appointments for patients to the next level, with feedback and follow-up to the households. This referral system will decongest higher-level facilities, reduce waiting time and in part, the no-bed syndrome.
He added that the re-mapping of CHPS compounds and zones has facilitated the inclusion of the schools, churches and mosques within specific CHPS zones.
Community nurses shall therefore extend services to the schools within their zones while preventive and promotion activities shall take place at least once a month in churches and mosques and any other community pillar that is appropriate for health sensitisation.
He made the announcement during the Free Primary Healthcare durbar held at the Ho Municipal Hospital during President John Dramani Mahama’s working visit to the Volta Region.
He noted that the Ghana Health Service has already distributed essential medical equipment to community volunteers, community health nurses, CHPS compounds, health centres and polyclinics across the country to support the smooth implementation of the initiative.
Dr Akoriyea described the programme as a bold step towards ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all Ghanaians, particularly those living in underserved communities and assured the President that the Ghana Health Service fully appreciates the significance of the initiative and remains committed to translating the President’s vision into measurable improvements in the health and well-being of Ghanaians.
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