Accra, Ghana, December 15, 2018//-The Executive Director of the African Centre for Health Policy Research and Analysis (ACH-PRA), Dr Thomas Anaba has dared the Director General (DG) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Anthony Nsiah Asare, over the use of drones for medical deliveries in some selected rural areas of the country.
According to him, ‘’I doubt his competence and I will put my life on the line for it. He should come with me on a live television debate on this matter. He can never win and he knows that’’.
Dr. Anaba has constantly spoken against the drones for medical deliveries deal, saying: “It is a misplaced priority since the various health facilities in the rural areas where the drones are targeted to serve don’t not have the requisite human resource and expertise to administer the medical essentials that will be delivered by the drones”.
The outspoken former Medical Director of the Accra Regional Hospital was quick to add tha the money should rather be channeled into employing more doctors and nurses who have been at home as a result of the inability of government to absorb them.
Dr Anabah went to describe the deal as another create, loot and share move by the current government.
Following a one-sided but majority decision in Parliament on Tuesday, December 11, the agreement between the Government of Ghana and American firm, Fly Zipline Inc, was approved.
The Minority MPs, who had mounted a strong opposition to the agreement, claim the deal is a misplaced priority and too expensive.
Shortly after the approval, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), the umbrella body of doctors in Ghana, issued a statement that urged the government to suspend the implementation process until it was consulted.
According to the union of medical doctors, the project contravenes Ghana’s primary health care delivery systems, pointing out lack of personnel and basic infrastructure in the health sector as key challenges that must be addressed first.
The government expressed shock at the GMA’s opposition to the deal, citing a comment by General Secretary of the Association, Justice Yankson, as evidence that the Association was acting in bad faith.
Meanwhile, Dr Anabah labeled the DG of GH as incompetent and someone who is engaged in politics to appease his paymasters and in order to keep his position.
According to him, the Ghana Health Service Director General was appointed out of age, contravening the rules of engagement of the Service which stipulates that an active working Civil Servant occupies that position.
‘’Dr. Nsiah Asare is playing politics because he was appointed out of age. He knows he is not supposed to be in that position, but because of politics he is there. The rules governing the Ghana Health Service say that an active working civil servant must occupy that position.
They removed somebody who was nearing the retirement age, saying he was old, and went and brought in someone who has been on retirement for 3 years. So why was he brought there? To play politics!”.
African Eye Report
