The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) - Lecture Notes

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) BERNARD KOFI TURKSON Department of...

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) BERNARD KOFI TURKSON Department of Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Health Sciences. 1  Objectives By the end of the lecture students will be able to: – Discuss the mission, vision, objectives and rational for the GHS – Explain the functions of the service – Mention the levels of administration of the service – Know about management and the staff of the service www.knust.edu.gh 2  History GHS is a Ghanaian government body established in 1996 as part of the Health Sector Reform of Ghana. The Health Service is under the Ministry of Health. The Health service primarily administrates the health services provided by the government and in implementing government policies on healthcare. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is a Public Service body established under Act 525 of 1996 as required by the 1992 constitution www.knust.edu.gh 3  History contd. It is an autonomous Executive Agency responsible for implementation of national policies under the control of the Ghana Minister for Health through its governing Council - the Ghana Health Service Council. The GHS continue to receive public funds and thus remain within the public sector. However, its employees will no longer be part of the civil service, and GHS managers will no longer be required to follow all civil service rules and procedures. www.knust.edu.gh 4  History contd. The independence of the GHS is designed primarily to ensure that staffs have a greater degree of managerial flexibility to carry out their responsibilities, than would be possible if they remained wholly within the civil service. Ghana Health Service does not include Teaching Hospitals, Private and Mission Hospitals www.knust.edu.gh 5  Rational The establishment of the Ghana Health Service is an essential part of the key strategies identified in the Health Sector Reform process, as outlined in the Medium Term Health Strategy (MTHS), which are necessary steps in establishing a more equitable, efficient, accessible and responsive health care system. The reforms build on the reorganization of the MOH that began in 1993, which was explicitly designed to set the scene for the establishment of the Ghana Health Service. www.knust.edu.gh 6  Rational contd. The reforms also provide a sound organizational framework for the growing degree of managerial responsibility that has already been delegated to districts and hospitals. Themes that were central to the reorganization of 1993 remain important today for the Ghana Health Service: careful stewardship of scare resources, clear lines of responsibility and control, decentralization, and accountability for performance rather than inputs. www.knust.edu.gh 7 The 17 SDG’s www.knust.edu.gh 8  Directorates under the GHS The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has 11 Directorates. Some of which are 1. Office of the Director General 2. Family Health, 3. Finance 4. Research and development 5. Health Administration and Support Services 6. Public Health 7. Policy planning, research, monitoring and evaluation 8. Human Resources 9. Institutional Care 10. Internal Audit 11. Supplies stores and drugs management www.knust.edu.gh 9  Mandate/objectives of GHS The mandate of the GHS is expected to provide and prudently manage comprehensive and accessible health service with special emphasis on primary health care at Ghana regional, district and sub-district levels in accordance with approved national policies. The objects of the Service are to: Implement approved national policies for health delivery in Ghana. Increase access to good quality health services, and Manage prudently resources available for the provision of the health services www.knust.edu.gh 10  GHS Functions For the purposes of achieving its objectives the GHS performs the following functions amongst others: Provide comprehensive health services at all levels in Ghana directly and by contracting out to other Ghana agencies www.knust.edu.gh 11  As part of this function, the GHS is to: Develop appropriate strategies and set technical guidelines to achieve Ghana national policy goals/objectives. Undertake management and administration of the overall Ghana health resources within the service. Promote healthy mode of living and good health habits by people in Ghana. Establish effective mechanism for disease surveillance, prevention and control in Ghana. Determine charges for Ghana health services with the approval of the parliament and Ghana Minister of Health. Provide in-service training and continuing education in Ghana. Perform any other functions relevant to the promotion, protection and restoration of health in Ghana. www.knust.edu.gh 12  Health Programmes National Malaria Control Programme TB Control Programme National AIDS Control Programme National Buruli Ulcer Control Programme Expanded Programme on Immunization Nutrition and Malaria Control for Child Survival www.knust.edu.gh 13 NEWBORN CARE PROGRAMME Birth registration Kangaroo mother care Infection prevention and control Postnatal care Breastfeeding Neonatal resuscitation