It is refreshing and highly commendable on the part of the Atta Mills led administration under the Better Ghana Agenda to engage Toshiba to manufacture and install state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facilities for regional and teaching hospitals across the country.
Equally more pragmatic is the training of medical personnel and engineers who will ensure that these equipment are maintained and operational across the beneficiary medical facilities.
Already four [4] of the MRI machines are being installed in the Volta, Central, Ashanti and the Northern Regional Hospitals as of now. When complete, Ghana is set to join South Africa and Egypt as the only countries in Africa where such facilities are accessible albeit the high cost of accessing these equipment.
The installation of these equipment brings broad smiles to the faces of our hardworking medical practitioners who can render better care to the public with the use of latest technology available in other parts of the world.
Hitherto, patients from Ghana including politicians were flown to Europe, Egypt and South Africa to use such facilities and this has been an indictment on the commitment of the ruling class to promises of providing effective and efficient medical facilities to the masses that pay the taxes. I am happy that the Mills administration has stood the test and has taken the step to make practical the promise of providing better health facilities under the there [3] year Better Ghana Agenda.
Ghana stands to benefit from these equipment in diverse ways. Foremost, they would serve as a centre for medical training for physicians and doctors while undergoing their studies or housmenship in the various hospitals. Cases from other medical centres and health posts dotted all over the country can be referred to the nearest Regional Hospital for further attention as and when the need arises. It gives assurance to the public that they can get better and improved medical treatment in our hospitals. This has a high propensity of retaining our medical doctors who, out of frustration owing to inadequate medical equipment, are forced to travel outside the country to practise their trade and even worse refuse posting to some hospitals and regions in the country. A step closer to addressing the brain-drain situation.
Again, the installation of the RMIs provide that golden opportunity for Ghana to earn some money and foreign exchange from other nationals within the sub region who would patronise the services of our hospitals. Money generated from the operations could be a financing source to government’s free medical care policy to the good people of Ghana as payment of premium on health insurance amounts to only 5% of cost.
The aviation industry would equally witness an interesting boost as light aircrafts, medical helicopters and areal ambulances would begin operations in Ghana. This rejuvenation will automatically call the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority to take another look at ex President Jerry John Rawlings’ vision of creating at least air strip in all regional capitals in Ghana. These airstrips and possibly helipads would act as landing points for inter-regional medical evacuations among others.
These strips could subsequently be developed into airports for the transport of goods and passengers so as to ease the pressure on our roads and prolong their life span.
The opening up of the aviation industry will create jobs for our young men and women who would take an active interest in the sector. From pilots to cleaners, hundreds of our people will have sustainable jobs and earn a living.
The pressure on our doctors would be greatly reduced as the RMIs are credited to handling about 70 cases a day. In effect, the doctor-patient ratio could see some reduction and the stress put on our doctors could equally be reduced as they give out their best to the good people of Ghana.
Besides the placement of our medical staff on the Single Spine Salary Structure, I believe this comes as a major boost to the people of Ghana and it is timely so as to support the improved health services in Ghana as we inch closer to attaining the Millennium Development Goals.
Kudos to the Mills Administration for making this possible and this is another great reason to give the Mills government another term in office.
Felix Mawulolo Amegashie
NDC Youth Activist
elolo.elolo@gmail.com
