Western Region hosts 17th Annual General Meeting of Medical Superintendents Group of Ghana

• Posted on October 4, 2018
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Medical Superintendents Group of Ghana is meeting in the Western Region from Tuesday 2^nd October to Friday 5^th October, 2018 for the 17^th edition of the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

At the Akroma Plaza Hotel yesterday 3^rd October, 2018 where the group had its first meeting since the commencement of the AGM, the Group President Dr. Joshua Kojo Tambil told members and the guests present that “A few weeks ago when we announced the theme for this conference on our Whats App platform the immediate reaction by many was; “why TB? TB is for the public health people, its none of our business.” That reaction Mr Chairman, affirmed my belief that we indeed chose the right theme.”

“The ideas was conceived at the first quarter national TB review at Anita Hotel near Kumasi. The Medical Superintendents at that review noticed that there were more TB cases that could be picked up at our hospitals if only we had known what to do as leaders. It was this realization of our collective shortfall and lack of ownership of TB work in our facilities that culminated in our choice of conference theme” Dr. Tambil added.

Arguing further the reason for the theme, Dr. Tambil said “Apart from the fact that one undiagnosed TB case posses a major health hazard to his/her household, community and even to us healthcare workers, Mr. Charman, TB is also a big economic issue. Generally 24% of the Ghanaian population live below the poverty line, at the point of diagnosis 46% of TB cases live below poverty line and the point of completion of treatment 60% of cases live below poverty line. What this means ladies and gentlemen is that the poor in our society are 1. more prone to TB, 2. sink deeper into poverty following episode of TB and 3. have new additions to their fold due to TB. These are figures from Ghana’s first TB patient cost survey results of which were disseminated in August this year. The study also found that 64% of families with a member with TB faced catastrophic cost related to TB care. Catastrophic cost being defined as any expenditure on TB equal to or exceeding 20% if the household’s annual income.”

The Group chose ‘Eliminating TB, Towards achievning a Ghana beyond Aid’ as the theme for this year’s AGM. The Chairman for the conference, Dr. Antodi, the Regional Director of Health Service Naa Dr. Jacob Yakubu Mahama, Director of ICD, Dr. Kaba, The Council Chairman Dr. Yaw Yeboah, the Director General of Ghana Health Service Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, amongst other speakers at the conference all spoke about the theme.

The keynote address was delivered by Hn. Mrs. Gifty Kusi, the Deputy Western Regional Minister who had in her private life had done extensive research in the health sector.

Author: Nana Kwesi Coomson (www.233times.net) @nkcoomson on Twitter