{"id":834486,"date":"2025-03-16T12:12:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-16T17:12:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/16\/dedicate-fund-for-public-health-emergency-discussants\/"},"modified":"2025-03-16T12:12:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-16T17:12:22","slug":"dedicate-fund-for-public-health-emergency-discussants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/16\/dedicate-fund-for-public-health-emergency-discussants\/","title":{"rendered":"Dedicate fund for public health emergency \u2013 Discussants"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\u2022
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \u2022 Ms Harriet N. Agyemang (left) interacting with Mr Stephen
\nAtasiga (right) at the programme.. With them is Dr Sebastian
\nSandaare (second from right). Photo: Victor A. Buxton
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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\u00a0The \u00a0government has been en\u00adtreated to ur\u00adgently institute a dedicated funding mechanism for public health emergencies amidst recurrent disease outbreaks and dwindling donor support.<\/p>\n

Discussants at a national dia\u00adlogue on public health emergency financing in Accra yesterday, observed that while disease out\u00adbreaks were inevitable, a funding pool in place could aid effective response and management strat\u00adegies.<\/p>\n

In his remark, Stephen Ata\u00adsige, the in-country Coordinator for the Prevent Epidemics project implemented by SENDGhana, a non-governmental organisation, said the recent withdrawal of the United States (US) aid to health interventions coupled with Gha\u00adna\u2019s multiple disease burden could pose grave impact if proactive measures are not taken in estab\u00adlishing a fund.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an opportunity for us to begin to get more proac\u00adtive about mobilising domestic resources and this has to be intentional.<\/p>\n

There has to be some policy in place to ensure that we are setting up that funding mechanism in the form of a fund that will cater for our public health emergency preparedness and response efforts so that we are able to withstand the shocks that come with these emergencies when they occur,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

As the government prepares to present its maiden budget next month, Mr Atasige urged them to allocate a clear budget for public health emergencies to not only help contain future occurrenc\u00ades but ensure Ghana was well equipped financially to respond any future outbreaks.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, he proposed a repurposing of the COVID-19 levy as a primary source for mobilising domestic financial resources to set up a public health emergency fund for the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know as a country, we are not doing very well when it comes to allocating funds for health through our national budgets although we are signatory to the Abuja Declaration to allocate at least 15 per cent of our annual budgets for health.<\/p>\n

This has not been happen\u00ading over the period so we have to take the opportunity that the COVID-19 levy presents us to re\u00adpurpose it as a funding source for a health emergency fund to ensure there is this a pool of money that is consistently flowing through our levies for such outbreaks,\u201d he emphasised.<\/p>\n

The Country Director for SENDGhana, Harriet Nuamah Agyemang, expressed hope that the government fast-tracks pro\u00adcesses to establish the health secu\u00adrity bill which makes provision for a public health emergency fund.<\/p>\n

She shared successes of the \u201cEpidemics project\u201d over the last four years with key spotlight on some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) who have taken steps to set aside funds for public health emergen\u00adcies at their levels.<\/p>\n

Madam Agyemang com\u00admended the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, Birim South, Lambussie and Gushegu districts, who have advanced in setting up their district public health emergency funds, urging others to emulate same to better manage future crises.<\/p>\n

Mr Rex Manu Yeboah, the Deputy Director, General Admin\u00adistration at the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, stated that it was more cost effective to prevent an epidemic than to respond to one once it escalates.<\/p>\n

He encouraged local govern\u00adment authorities to find inno\u00advative ways to finance epidemic preparedness and response, while at the national level, same is also done.<\/p>\n

\u00a0BY ABIGAIL ANNOH<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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