Ghana recently celebrated the World Health Day and launched the year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO). The event was led by the Ministry of Health, with a focus on strengthening collaboration with the WHO to achieve Health For All Ghanaians. The Minister of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, expressed his appreciation for the WHO’s support in Ghana’s health sector agenda over the years and committed to continuous support for the organization’s efforts to promote health for all.
Collaboration to Achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
During the launch in Accra, the minister emphasized the WHO’s critical role in setting the public health agenda, promoting norms and standards, and spearheading efforts to strengthen health systems. He added that the Ghanaian government anticipates even more fruitful collaboration with the WHO to fully operationalize the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) roadmap. The WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr. Francis Kasolo, praised the collaboration between Ghana and WHO, which is helping to strengthen the health sector and promote the attainment of UHC and Sustainable Development Goal 3. He also called for coming together with science, solutions, and solidarity to address future challenges.
Celebration of the WHO’s 75th Anniversary
The year-long celebration of the WHO’s 75th anniversary in Ghana will see the rollout of campaigns engaging the Government, partners, and the public to share their stories of what health means to them. Planning around the global Health Days, specific monthly themes will be identified to jointly celebrate public health achievements and highlight the pertinent challenges impeding the acceleration of universal health coverage (UHC) and health-related SDGs.
During a public lecture on the theme, “WHO yesterday, today, and the future,” the Foundation Vice-Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Professor Fred Binka, emphasized the need for stronger support from member states and partners to strengthen the WHO’s leadership in Global Public Health. He noted that the world needs WHO now more than ever, given the emerging global public health challenges. He called on member states and partners to increase support to ensure an independent and well-functioning WHO so that it can continue to deliver on its mandate.
The launch was attended by Diplomats, heads of Government Agencies, Development Partners, heads of United Nations Agencies in Ghana, former and current staff of WHO, and other stakeholders.
Overall, the event was a testament to the strong partnership between Ghana and the WHO in promoting health for all Ghanaians and achieving universal health coverage. The celebrations throughout the year will serve to highlight public health achievements.
