Mrs. Bridget Anim receiving the donation from Mr. Raphael Fereking
The Health Promotion Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has taken delivery of a set of Information Technology (IT) equipment for the establishment of its resource call center.
The IT equipment, was donated by the German International Cooperation (GIZ), through the Governance for Inclusive Development Programme (GovID).
The equipment, including server setup programming, computer laptops, projectors, pointers, printers, extension boards, external hard drives, router will enable the call center serve as a digital channel for risk communication which is pertinent in managing epidemics and positioning the division to better deal with issues of public health.
Programme Manager of GovID, Raphael Frerking at the brief ceremony in Accra stated that risk communication, surveillance activities and promotion of health across the entire country is a success factor in combating diseases such as Covid-19.
He said Germany provided extra funds to the government of Ghana to combat the outbreak of the Covid-19 outbreak adding that the equipment will shore up public health promotion activities of the division. Wholistic holistic
“The Governance for Inclusive Development (GovID) programme of GIZ, is supporting the Health Promotion Division of the Ghana Health Service with Risk Communication measures, among them the distribution of billboards, flyers and specific education measures at community information centers and for people with disabilities across the country.
Mr. Frerking said GIZ is willing to continue the support already given to the GHS in this regard.
Deputy Director of the Health Promotion Division, Bridget Anim expressed appreciation to GIZ for the support.
She highlighted that the resource call center “will properly position the division to detect outbreaks early to enhance response mechanisms,” she said.
She furthermore, Additionally, the Health Promotion Division has a Resource Centre and there is a need to support the Centre to perform, digital and social media functions to enhance ‘rumor gathering’, surveillance activities and risk communication for disease outbreaks or public health.
This will properly position the service to detect outbreaks early to enhance response mechanisms.
There are other telemedicine apps used to provide Covid-19 related information and information diseases and to ensure interoperability, non-duplication of efforts and for proper rumor and misinformation management these apps will be linked to the resource call center.
This support will go along to support the exchange of timely health messages between Health experts and the general population. It is our fervent hope that, this will increase health literacy in the country.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri