The Ghana Health Service as part of efforts to improve collaboration and help in the advancement of healthcare has inaugurated a 7-member Interagency Coordinating Committee for Health Promotion (ICC-HP) for the North East Region.
It is expected that the committee will harness and coordinate the advisory resources of major players in the health delivery chain in a bid to enhance the health and well-being of residents.
As part of its mandate, the committee is expected to spearhead health promotion and collaborate with state and non-state actors to promote and implement policies that enhance public health initiatives. If the role of ICC-HP is played well, it is anticipated that residents of the region and by extension Ghanaians will cultivate healthier habits.
The Interagency Coordinating Committee for Health Promotion (ICC-HP) was started in June 2010 with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and currently has a 14-member national committee that boasts of members from diverse backgrounds including health, media, education, government agencies and NGOs.
Speaking Friday during the Inauguration of the 7-Member Committee for the North East Region in Bolgatanga, Mahama Seidu, Deputy Director of Research and Health Policy, explained that the primary responsibility of the committee is to provide technical direction and vision for the promotion of health in the North East Region and equally mobilize other stakeholders to work to improve health indicators.
“The committee is to provide technical direction and vision for the region in terms of being able to promote health. They also help mobilize resources and mobilize others to ensure they collectively promote health in the region. Ghana needs everybody and they form the cement of the community to be able to help push for the healthy communities that we want. North East is one of the food baskets of Ghana and issues of kayaye are there and there is the need for unity to strengthen health through coordination.” He noted.
Moses Tempure, a Member of the North East Regional ICC-HP, pledged their readiness to work to promote health in the region.
“As a member of the committee, the first thing that I think we should focus on is to provide good and effective leadership to be able to pick up the issues and address them. So, we shall provide good and effective leadership to achieve our mandate. I think we need to begin with plans and with the work plan, we will follow that work plan judiciously.” He assured.
