Dr Afisa Zakariah with the document
Ghana’s Ministry of Health, in its bid to improve the quality of care for all Ghanaian citizens across all levels of the healthcare system from the national-level to the community-level, has launched the National Healthcare Quality Strategy (NQS).
The strategy will provide a framework for integrating and deploying three key aspects of quality measures required for optimal health system performance: quality planning, quality control/assurance and quality improvement, collectively known as the Juran Triad.
Again, it will collaboratively define the ideal state of quality with stakeholders across the health care system and finally lay out a strategic roadmap to bridge this gap in order to improve quality nationally, including harmonising quality indicators across a common framework to provide an ongoing feedback mechanism of improvement and success.
Dr Afisa Zakariah, Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, unveiling the document, stated that the overall vision is to create a health system that places the client at the centre of healthcare which ensures continuous improved measurable health outcomes.
She said although quality assurance systems and structures exist at all levels of care in the service delivery landscape, there are some systemic challenges.
“A culture of quality has not yet been adequately institutionalised in the system. There exists weak links between clinical care and public health at the district level and unclear oversight and accountability structures have resulted in fragmentation in quality approaches with limited impact on patient experience and health outcomes,” she said.
Peter Yeboah, Executive Director of CHAG, giving an overview of the strategy, mentioned that in terms of content, the document focuses on priority areas such as maternal and child health, malaria, communicable and non-communicable diseases and make the patient and communities at the centre of healthcare.
“The accompanying coordination and accountability framework highlights rewards and sanctions regime to entrench and embed a culture of quality in the health system,” he said.
Susan Ngongi, UNICEF Country Representative, speaking on behalf of development partners, congratulated the ministry for taking the lead in developing the quality strategy.
She said it is the hope of the international community that the proper and effective implementation of the NQS would address the current quality gap and “we hope to see significant improvement on the relevant sector indicators.”
She, however, urged the ministry to develop the various implementations guides for different components of healthcare.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri