Invoking 'The Spirit' of the Gentle Jak, The Perfect Ritual to Heal Ghanaian Health Politics

Dear John Agyekum Kufour , former President of the Ghanaian Republic , warmest felicitation to the dignitaries and sympathizers of your former government . I read from the national dailies the demise of the former first lady , Mrs Theresah Kufour, an endtime Apostle of the Danquah Dombo -Busia tradition, your woman behind your political success . I render my sincere sympathy to you , family, Republic of Ghana and the entire elephant fraternity. I pray the Christian God renders us a contrite heart, selflessness and financial strength to partake in your legacy. .Even though all the inhabitants in the traditional setting of where I grew up in Galamsey prone western region, majority voted for Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings and the National Democratic Congress but remember such voters will not permit the younger ones to have enough on their minds before choosing a political mentor . The degree level of intoxication made me throw a dice between the Nkrumah tradition and the U.P tradition due to your selfless governance , tremendous development and the distinguished leadership Ghana embrassed under your watch as the first Gentleman of Ghana. There's a sign as John the Baptist reincarnated as Elijah so as the former President, John Agyekum Kufour, a reincarnate of Kwame Nkrumah to continue the unfinished works of the 1960s. It's of no doubt a christian university which revolves on biblical ethics and credentials confirmed an honorary degree on you for your credentials in Ghanaian politics.

When did the political gimmick of the National Democratic Congress (N.D.C) ,change from fresh graduates gathering gravel for survival under the leadership of his Excellency John Dramani Mahama to a whispered quonudrom of ‘the 24 hour economy’ it’s only the hard addict to political campaign that can bear witness to what the umbrella fraternity told Ghanaians on a campaign trail when they pled political power from the ordinary citizens in 2012. The deliberate blindness and dead goat syndrome of John mahama led government upon her rebirth will lack the political experience to transform Ghana as John Agyekum Kufour, since they have failed to sell policies to the Ghanaian people and rather using the reviewing policy syndrome .

During New Patriotic Party’s regime under president kuffour ,the health sector witnessed a tremendous change, introduction of health insurance to replace the ‘cash and carry system’ ,as at 2007, over eleven million(11.3 million) Ghanaians were enrolled on the national health insurance scheme (NHIS) . The scheme provided free healthcare for not less than six million Ghanaian children under eighteen years and about four hundred thousand aged Ghanaians who have exceeded seventy years. Anti retroviral drugs for HIV patients were highly subsidized and it also paved way for pregnant women to have free access to maternal health care.

The John kuffour led government constructed two hundred and five(205) hospitals and clinics and also expanded three hundred and ten already existing facilities . The NPP government under the Gentle JAK secured three hundred and thirty nine united states dollars to facilitate work on new regional and district hospitals. Six new polyclinics were built at the cost of 7.6 million euros namely chereponi, Kpandai,Janga,Karaga,Tatale and Buipe.

Newly built health training schools to boost the already existing ones, expansion of health facilities and massive investment in health professionals. National Ambulance system was established to solve medical emergencies throughout the country.The intake of nurses and midwifery students increased from one thousand in the 1999/2000 academic year to seven thousand in 2006/2007 academic year. Working conditions of health workers were among the best in Africa apart from south Africa. Post graduate medical training school, College of physicians and surgeon was established to promote health care in Ghana.

Now ,did I hear the previous and present governments after Kufour operate on quota system in admitting students into Nursing training schools whilst the people of wassa Akoreso lack CHIPS compound and Nurses. what went wrong after President Kufour?, a government with these past credentials in achieving better healthcare. After boasting of natural resources as Ghanaians ,we complain of huge public sector wage bill and our Christ is the International monetary fund , I overhead a member of parliament from the upper East region on citi fm’s Eye witness news ‘ immediate past governments do not leave a chunk of money in the public purse when they are leaving power ‘ so what's the essence of taxes and how did the Gentle JAK, the reincarnate of Kwame Nkrumah achieve his political success. The tax payers monies have not got exhausted , Mr taxman tell us the purpose for deducting our monies, taking loans on the nation’s behalf ,exporting our gold, timber, oil, cocoa. There are many hospitals which have inadequate staff to man them effectively to deliver better health care to the tax payer. There are Ordinary Ghanaians who are mostly rural dwellers and contribute to the GDP of the country through Agriculture who walk hundreds of kilometers to access health care because of lack or inadequate health personnel in chips compounds.

Why then is the quota policy of government hastened to see daylight at this critical moment of numerous backlog of unemployed nurses . can’t the government export the current backlog of unemployed nurses for income to boost our economy in order to reduce the amount of monies borrowed by government as envisioned by the Kuffour led government, if Ghanaians have trained excess health care personel by the taxpayers money. The state will lose nothing in the training of nurses by the private sector. it is not in the right direction when the quota system has also trapped the private nursing institutions. Thousands of Ghana cedis sunked into these private nursing schools by individuals, numerous loses are accounted for and unemployment has been hardly to deal with since the inception of the quota system by private nursing schools.

What measures have post colonial governments put in place to promote good health care among her citizens. If right policies are in place why does the status quo fly abroad to seek quality health care. It was estimated that during the reign of National democratic congress (N.D.C) under Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, only twenty percent of Ghanaian trained doctors remained in the country to work. There are no incentives for our nurses who accept posting in rural areas. The working conditions of nurses on the field is nothing to write home about. New policies are not drawn to motivate nurses on the field but ‘incentives’ which were used to trap people to be trained as nurses have been terminated by John mahama's administration. If welfare of nurses are not made a priority , the country cannot achieve quality health care when medical students, physician assistants pharmacists and other medical officers are trained on quota bases. It’s about time politicians make the welfare of citizens a priority in order to build a better Ghana for today and the future generation. It's pathetic in every 24 hours, not less than ten nurses leave the shores of Ghana for greener pastures abroad due to poor conditions of service .

AMOAH NELSON EMMANUEL.
NUMBER 07 CASHEW AVENUE.
VETICAN CITY.
TECHIMAN .
email: [email protected]