PAHSM Holds COBUSS Series To Discuss Achieving UHC By 2030

The Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management (PAHSM) held its second Covid, Business and Society Seminar (COBUSS) Series on the 2nd of July 2020 via Zoom. Invited speakers were Dr. Gordon Abekah-Nkrumah, a Senior Lecturer with the Department of PAHSM, and Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, the Presidential Advisor on Health at the Jubilee House.  The Dean of UGBS, Professor Justice Bawole, welcomed everyone and gave a brief background to the institution of the COBUSS series. He stated that one of the aims of the seminar series was to shape thoughts to influence policy and practice, and to determine how Covid-19 is affecting business and society.

Speaking on the topic, “Towards Achieving UHC by 2030: Implications for Health Systems Reforms,” Dr. Abekah-Nkrumah started with an overview of the health sector, its structure and how it works. He discussed health sector goals, health SDGs and strong health systems pointed out by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In his presentation, however, Dr. Abekah-Nkrumah further indicated that even though WHO has strong health systems, it has its weakness just like any other organisation. He mentioned some of those weaknesses as leadership and governance, information systems, health workforce, empowered patients and communities among others. Concluding his session, Dr. Abekah-Nkrumah recommended some issues for immediate, medium-term and long-term implementation to boost the health sector.

Dr. Nsiah-Asare, on his part, presented on the topic, “Towards Achieving UHC by 2030: Implications for Health Financing Reform in Ghana.” He started by delving into the issue of financing health in Ghana. He explained the concept of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a means of ensuring that all people have access to needed quality promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services, while also ensuring that they do not suffer financial hardship as they pay for these services. He stated the requirements of UHC and discussed Ghana’s main strategy to its achievement being the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He added some achievements and successes of the NHIS and ended his session with a call to action on how to move the UHC agenda forward.

Each presentation was rounded with a question and answer session as well as contributions from the audience.