Ghana Health Service Trains Health Workers on Accountability Scorecard Tool in Northern Region.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in partnership with the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) and with funding from Expertise France under its Community Scorecard (CSC) project, has organized a forum on the Accountability Scorecard Tool.

The initiative aims to empower community members to demand better healthcare services while enhancing accountability and service delivery across the country.

The forum, held in the Northern Region, brought together staff from Northern and Savannah Regions.

These personnel will be responsible for training other health facility staff to implement the Accountability Scorecard Tool effectively.

Benedict Ofori Appiah, the Northern Regional CHPS Coordinator, outlined the objectives of the initiative, noting its focus on building the capacity of District Health Directors to lead Community Scorecard Training at the  Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) level and within hospitals.

“The first objective is to understand the status and next steps for the Community Scorecard implementation in Ghana. Most Districts are already implementing some form of this, but we need to formalize it. Now, we are expanding to all 16 districts and orienting all 216 District Health Directorates on the Community Scorecard,” he said.

Madam Aseye Kpodotis, a Senior Health Planner with the Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Division (PPMED), emphasized the broader vision of the initiative, which is rooted in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“The vision is to ensure everyone in Ghana has timely access to high-quality health services irrespective of their ability to pay at the point of service.

This is essential as we work to ensure that every corner of the country has access to healthcare,” Madam Kpodotis stated.

She highlighted that the CHPS concept was created around this vision, serving as a foundation for bringing healthcare closer to communities.

Welbeck Kwesi Akolu, the Health Information Officer at the Northern Regional Health Directorate, praised the forum’s impact, noting that it fosters collaboration between health providers and the communities they serve.

“The impact has been very positive. Communities are engaged to give feedback using the nine indicators on the community scorecard. Based on this feedback, we work together with them to address gaps in service delivery. It’s been very impactful,” he explained.

Regional CHPS coordinator Savannah Region Abodoo Jonas said the main aim is to ensure that there’s community participation and ownership.

on his part Abraham Kofi Boateng Yendi Municipal Health Directorate he explained that the implementation of the community scorecard has empowered the public to engage directly with health providers, asking critical questions about the services they deliver. He highlighted that health care is now a shared responsibility between the community and health providers. “In the past, health decisions were solely made by professionals, but now we have involved the community through the Community Health Management Committee,” he stated.

Samuel Alinga Gushegu municipality, he noted that the community scorecard has significantly benefited the area, fostering accountability and ensuring health providers remain focused on meeting established criteria. “The scorecard has brought remarkable success to the community, keeping health providers on track and improving service delivery,” he added.

The Accountability Scorecard Tool is a step toward strengthening healthcare systems in Ghana by empowering communities and enhancing collaboration between health providers and the public.

With its rollout in all 16 districts of the Northern and Savannah Regions, the Ghana Health Service is reinforcing its commitment to improving access to and the quality of healthcare nationwide.

Source:Fiilafmonline/Akosua Kwartemaa Boakye