Accra: SEND Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation focused on advocacy for pro-poor policies, has urged the government to make national budgetary allocations to Epidermic Preparedness and Response (EPR). The organisation said while outbreaks could not be prevented, they can be effectively managed if the nation was well prepared.
According to Ghana News Agency, speaking at a National Dialogue on Public Health Emergency Financing in Ghana, Madam Harriet Nuamah Agyemang, Country Director of SEND Ghana, emphasised that preparing for epidemics required investment in health worker training, surveillance, and infrastructure with a focus on mobilising domestic resources rather than relying on global funds. "This year, we are looking forward to a budget that includes funding for Public Health Emergencies in Ghana, we anticipate that the government will prioritise this to safeguard the health of the people," she said.
Madam Agyemang pointed out the absence of a dedicated fund for preparedness and a specific budget line for epidemic preparedness and response as issues needing urgent government attention. She stressed the importance of not depending on global funding and instead mobilising funds from domestic resources to set aside for epidemics.
She also encouraged Local Government Authorities to allocate funds for Public Health Emergencies at the District and Municipal levels. Commending the Adaklu and Aligye Kwabre districts for including Epidermic Preparedness Response in their 2023 to 2024 budgets for the first time, she recognised several assemblies like the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), Keta North, and Birim South for consistently increasing funding for emergency preparedness and response.
Madam Agyemang mentioned that four districts, including Lower Manya Krobo, Birim South, Lambussie, and Gushegu, were at various stages of setting up district public health emergency funds. Mr Rex Manu Yeboah, Deputy Director of General Administration at the Ministry of Local Government, encouraged Local Government Authorities to find innovative ways to finance Epidermic Preparedness and Response, highlighting that it was more cost-effective to prevent an epidemic than to respond when it had escalated.
The Dialogue served as a platform to assess progress made in SEND Ghana's efforts in advocating the provision of a Domestic Fund for Public Health Emergencies in Ghana, highlighting it as a vital step to ensuring that Ghana is well-equipped to manage future health crises.
