The Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Mark Appiah, expressed gratitude to all members for accepting the call to serve and for their readiness to contribute their time, experience, and expertise toward improving health outcomes in the Oti Region.
He also conveyed appreciation to the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ghana Health Service (GHS), and the Oti Regional Minister for the confidence reposed in him and other members through their appointment to the Committee.
Prof. Appiah noted that the formation of the Committee reflects the recognition that strong and resilient health systems depend not only on service providers but also on informed community engagement, accountability, and effective collaboration across sectors.
He reminded members of the Committee’s mandate, which includes providing informed advice, facilitating dialogue among stakeholders, articulating community concerns, and supporting the Ghana Health Service and allied agencies in improving health service delivery.
He further observed that the Oti Region faces unique health challenges, including limited access to quality healthcare in hard-to-reach communities, maternal and child health concerns, disease surveillance gaps, environmental health risks, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
Addressing these challenges, he emphasized, requires more than policies on paper; it calls for coordinated action, evidence-based decision-making, and genuine community involvement.
In this regard, the Committee is expected to play a critical bridging role between policy formulation, service delivery, and the lived realities of the people.
Prof. Appiah encouraged members to engage in open, respectful, and solution-oriented discussions, noting that all deliberations should be guided by actions that yield the greatest public health impact, particularly for the most vulnerable populations in the region.
He further reminded members that the Regional Health Directorate would depend on the Committee’s guidance, technical input, and willingness to engage beyond formal meeting rooms.
According to him, health outcomes are shaped not only by decisions taken at meetings, but also by the collective ability of stakeholders to influence action on the ground.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Appiah acknowledged that the task ahead is demanding but urged members to work together to strengthen health systems, promote preventive healthcare, and ensure equitable access to quality health services for all residents of the Oti Region.
During a briefing by the Regional Director of Health Service, Dr. Kofi Amo-Kodieh, it was revealed that staff shortages remain a major challenge, with an estimated deficit of more than 700 health workers across the region.
Other immediate priority issues identified include improving staff strength, the construction of a Regional Medical Stores and warehouse, provision of staff accommodation units in the districts, securing land titles for lands donated by communities, and the establishment of water treatment plants or boreholes for health facilities.
Prof. Mark Appiah assured that he would engage all key stakeholders to mobilize support toward addressing these urgent needs.
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