Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has launched yet another digital health platform to help improve access to quality healthcare in the country.
Known as Telehealth Health Services, the platform, which is set to redefine the contours of healthcare delivery is aimed at bringing medical consultations into the homes and hands of Ghanaians as every government health facility across the nation will be connected to the service.
Telehealth Services will be under the auspices of the Ministry of Health (MoH), in close collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Pharmacy Council, and the Health Facilities Regulatory Agency.
The new programme in health forms part of the National E-Pharmacy Platform (NEPP) which has been integrated into both the NHIA and private health insurance systems as part of measures to revolutionise the way prescriptions are managed and dispensed across the country.
Addressing the public, including staff of the GHS, MoH as well as NHIA and other stakeholders at the Ejisu Government Hospital on this afternoon, Dr. Bawumia said the launch of the healthcare app reaffirms his government’s resolve to usher in an era where technology meets humanity in the service of healthcare.
“We are here to officially launch the NHIA Telehealth Services and the continued nationwide growth of the National E-Pharmacy System and these innovations are the ones that will redefine the contours of healthcare delivery in our beloved nation,” Dr Bawumia stated.
The Vice President said the stakholders were collectively embarking on a journey to realise a vision that is audacious as it is vital.
He noted that this vision ensures that every citizen has unhindered access to quality healthcare regardless of location.
NHIA Telehealth Services
The NHIA Telehealth Services is a key component of the ongoing infusion of technology and innovation into the provision of essential services in every sector of the Ghanaian society.
It is not merely an addition to the healthcare system but a revolutionary approach that brings medical consultations into the homes and hands of our people.
TeleHealth Services will make specialist care accessible to all and reduce travel costs and time; ease congestion at the hospitals as routine follow-ups can be handled online and free up hospital spaces for acute and emergency cases.
The management of chronic diseases like Diabetes and Hypertension will be improved as there will be regular check-ups to ensure stable management of their conditions without frequent hospital visits.
The decongestion in hospitals will allow immediate medical attention and increase education and awareness, allowing healthcare to reach wide audiences with vital health information that can promote preventive healthcare practices as well.
“Telehealth services provide quick preliminary consultations that can guide necessary actions or interventions much faster than traditional methods,” he added.
Dr. Bawumia commended the staff of the agencies and urged the officials charged with running the service to ensure and maintain the highest quality standards.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
