Health
GH₵254k COVID-19 money used to buy lab equipment for GIDC
COVID-19 Private Sector Fund responds to Auditor General
The Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund (GCPSF) says a sum of GH₵254,203 of the National COVID-19 Trust Fund (NCTF) money questioned in the Auditor General’s report was added to other funds to buy laboratory equipment worth GH₵1.33 million for the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC).
The GCPSF explained that the amount resulted from savings made due to prudent and value for money procurement during the construction of the GIDC.
The GCPSF said it renegotiated some contracts following the failure of some contractors to supply the required items on time or meet quality standards
The renegotiations provided opportunities to extract value and achieve savings of GH₵254,203 for the project.
This was reported in GCPSF’s 2020 accounts prepared by KPMG and same shared with the NCTF.
According to the GCPSF, it duly notified the NCTF in 2021 to use the money saved under the Protect and Resource the Frontline (PARF) project through which laboratory equipment worth GH₵1.33 million have been ordered.
Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, Ga East Hospital
Though the process to procure the equipment started in 2020, everything was completed and the contract awarded in May this year.
Responding to the Auditor General’s report requesting for a refund of the money, Managing Trustee of GCPSF, Senyo Hosi, said laboratory equipment worth GH₵1.33 million have been ordered.
According to him, a consignment of the equipment worth GH₵557,610 have been cleared and handed over to the GIDC while the resting are undergoing clearing at the port.
This, he said, was done in conjunction with officials from the Noguchi Medical Research Institute, in July 2020, to upgrade the GIDC laboratory to a level-3 status, comparable to the laboratory at Noguchi.
This project he said, was completed in May 2022 with the award of the relevant contracts worth GH₵1.33 million.
The NCTF PARF donation saving of GH₵254,203 was partly applied to fund the acquisition of the laboratory equipment, the statement said.
However, on July 15, 2022, the GCPSF received a letter from the NCTF requesting a refund of the saving, citing the recommendation of the Auditor-General’s report for the GCPSF to account for the saving or refund it.
Prior to this, “we had never been requested to refund the savings,” the statement said, contradicting paragraph 32 of the Auditor-General’s report.
Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, Ga East Hospital
The managers of the GCPSF however opted to complete the laboratory upgrade project before completing the accounting process for the saving.
In the estimation of the GCPSF, “the application of the funds in the procurement of this critical equipment for the public good is constructive.”
However, Mr Hosi expressed the willingness of the GCPSF to refund the GH₵254,203 if the NCTF so insists despite the detailed information provided
The NCTF was the largest donor to the Protect and Resource the Frontline (PARF) project, donating GH₵10.257 million for the supply of medical equipment and PPE to major COVID-19 centres and frontliners.
The NTCF was also a major donor providing GH₵6.8 million to the delivery of 100-Bed Ghana’s First Infectious Disease Centre.
Project cost $7.5m
The ultra-modern facility worth $7.5 million was funded by the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund.
536 Patriotic and industrious Ghanaians made donations
The funds were donated by 536 patriotic and industrious Ghanaians to back the project to support government’s efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
$5.5m cash, $2m free services
This is made up of $5.5 million in cash including post project decommissioning activities, as well as $2 million in kind (consultancy services, construction supervision and tax waivers).
Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, Ga East Hospital
Between 66 pesewas and GH¢10m donated
Corporate entities and individuals contributed between 66 pesewas and GH¢10 million to the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund.
Components of the facility
The first-ever GIDC facility, located at the Ga East Municipal Hospital, comprised a level three biomedical laboratory, a 21-bed Intensive Care Unit, a dispensary, a triage unit, waiting areas, nurses’ station, VIP and general wards, and a medical gas house.
It was constructed through the collaboration of civilian and military engineers, planners and architects within three months.
Designers of the facility
The structure was designed jointly by the Built Environment Professionals, made up of the Ghana Institute of Architects, Engineers, Surveyors and Planners, the Ghana Armed Forces and specialist consultants from the Ministry of Health and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
Various design enhancements requested by GMA
Various design enhancements were done in response to additional requests by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and other infectious disease clinicians and biomedical scientists.
The enhancements include the incorporation of a level 2.5 scalable to a level 3 biomedical laboratory, in consultation with officials from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, the addition of a 21-bed intensive care unit and total insulation of the centre for energy efficiency since the facility will be required to be climatically controlled throughout its use.
Another one is the application of ultra-violet radiation treatment of air entering and exiting the facility to ensure no contaminated air exits the building.
Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, Ga East Hospital
Similar facilities planned for Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale
It is expected that the three ecological zones – coastal, middle belt and northern – would have similar facilities, which would be constructed in Takoradi, Kumasi and Tamale respectively.
COVID-19 Private Sector Fund targets GH¢100m
The Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund, which seeks to raise a minimum of GH¢100 million, was established by a number of private businesses drawn from diverse sectors in the country to support government’s efforts to conquer the coronavirus pandemic.
Relief services to individuals and families
The fund also seeks to extend relief services to individuals and families who have been hardest hit by the pandemic, undertake sensitisation programmes and also support institutions at the forefront of the fight.
Projects of Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund
Since its establishment, the fund has been embarking on a number of projects in line with its agenda.
‘Feed a Kayayo Project’
Through one of its initiatives, dubbed ‘Feed a Kayayo Project’, more than 140,000 free hot meals were served to persons affected by the lockdown in Accra and Kumasi.
Supply of PPE
Under its project dubbed ‘Protect and Resource the Frontline,’ the fund has also supplied tertiary care personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Ga East Municipal Hospital, which is the primary treatment centre for COVID-19 patients.
President Akufo-Addo cuts sod on April 17, 2020
President Akufo-Addo, on April 17, 2020, cut the sod for the construction of the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre.
Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on July 24, 2020 Commissioned the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners continuously provide technical and logistical support to the center to facilitate effective case management.
The WHO with the support of the World Bank’s Pandemic Emergency Facility Fund, donated and installed the center’s very first Arterial Blood Gas Analyzer since its inception.
About twenty health staff including doctors and nurses have been trained on the use of the equipment.
The equipment will serve as a holistic point of care which will provide a shorter processing time with results in less than five minutes instead of the sometimes long waiting time at the laboratory.
The Arterial Blood Gas Analyzer will be used to measure combinations of pH, blood gas (i.e. carbon dioxide and oxygen levels), electrolytes, and metabolites parameters from whole blood samples.
The critical care equipment will in addition promote efficiency and guide critical case management.
For example, the impact of any change made in a ventilator can be monitored by taking a sample and analyzing within minutes providing optimum intensive care to critically ill COVID-19 patients in the country.
- VALCO workers asking for dollar indexed salaries untenable – 4 November 2022
- 2022 Fuel price increases: Petrol-94%, diesel-136% in 10 months – 19 October 2022
- Coalition: New producer price too low, it will kill cocoa industry – 18 October 2022
The Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have received the first consignment of Measles vaccines, Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccines and Oral Polio Vaccines.
The Ministry of Information in a statement said distribution to various regions and facilities was underway.
It noted that more vaccines are expected in Ghana in the coming weeks from multiple sources.
“More vaccines expected in Ghana in the coming weeks from multiple sources,” the Information Ministry added.
It shared pictures of the GHS receiving the vaccines at the airport noting that they have already begun distributing them to various regions and facilities.
The ministry also shared photos of regional cold vans picking their consignments of the Measles, BCG and Oral Polio vaccines received and its accompanying logistics at the National Cold Room in Accra.
Ghana ran out of essential BCG and OPV vaccines as a result of the Ministry of Health’s failure to secure procurement of these vaccines since the year began.
The BCG vaccine is primarily needed to prevent the occurrence of tuberculosis in babies, while the OPV is to prevent polio infections
Other essential vaccines to prevent diseases such as measles, whooping cough, etc. are also in short supply.
Answering to parliament on the shortages, Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu said that more than $6 million has been paid to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to deliver baby vaccines.
According to him, the government expects the shortage to end in the next three weeks when all the vaccines are delivered.
Whilst urging the Legislators to approve funds needed for vaccines, he assured that shortages will not reoccur
“The assurance I will give and I can give for the first time in the Chamber is that this will not happen again and I will advise that you help me in my advocacy to get adequate funding for vaccines even the health insurance budget,” he appealed.
- VALCO workers asking for dollar indexed salaries untenable – 4 November 2022
- 2022 Fuel price increases: Petrol-94%, diesel-136% in 10 months – 19 October 2022
- Coalition: New producer price too low, it will kill cocoa industry – 18 October 2022
The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has assured parents of children who are yet to receive their scheduled vaccines due to the vaccine shortage currently being experienced in the country that the country will take delivery of these vaccines in the next few weeks.
He gave this assurance at an emergency press briefing organised to address the raging issue which has seen many worried parents moving from facility to facility in a desperate search for the crucial vaccines.
The Minister in his address stated that the nation is currently facing a shortage of some vaccines.
He said, “it is true we have had some vaccine shortages in the country since the last quarter of 2022. The vaccines in short supply are BCG, Measles-Rubella (MR), and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). This shortage is nationwide.”
Agyemang-Manu however assured that “the Ministry of Health has been making efforts to ensure we secure adequate stocks of vaccines despite this global challenge.”
He went further to state that, “we have made all necessary efforts to ensure that despite these challenges we secure adequate stocks within the next few weeks.”
He disclosed that the country has not recorded deaths caused by measles outbreak in parts of the country.
The Health Minister indicated that there had been no recorded measles-related deaths in the country in the last 20 years, even though there have been sporadic outbreaks.
He further indicated that besides the shortage of vaccines, there had been a global decline in vaccinations with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019.
He said, “the recent shortage in vaccines for measles, as regrettable as it is, is symptomatic of the steady global decline in measles vaccination since the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic.”
Agyemang-Manu however assures the citizenry that the nation’s vaccination coverage remains robust, with immunization performance coverage being among the best in the world.
According to him, “in 2021 we recorded 95% [vaccine] coverage.”
In recent months there has been a desperate scramble among worried parents of toddlers over the apparent shortage of vaccines for the six childhood killer diseases in the nation’s pharmacies and hospitals.
This coupled with an outbreak of the measles-rubella virus has left parents worrying about the safety of their children.
- VALCO workers asking for dollar indexed salaries untenable – 4 November 2022
- 2022 Fuel price increases: Petrol-94%, diesel-136% in 10 months – 19 October 2022
- Coalition: New producer price too low, it will kill cocoa industry – 18 October 2022
Zipline, the world’s first and only national-scale drone delivery service has delivered some 14.8 million (14,809,463) units of lifesaving medical, vaccines and blood products to health facilities in Ghana as at the end of 2022
309,000 delivery flights
These items were delivered through 309,000 separate delivery flights.
4.4m units delivered
The total units delivered amounted to 4.4 million.
8.3m doses of childhood vaccines
Childhood vaccines top the list with the delivery of 8.3 million doses.
2.05m doses of COVID-19 vaccines
It is followed by COVID-19 vaccines which recorded 2.05 million doses.
48,588 doses of malaria vaccines
The company delivered 48,588 doses of malaria vaccines during the period
10,875 pints of blood
Some 10,875 blood units were also delivered during the period.
6 Zipline distribution centers
The six Zipline distribution centers delivers lifesaving medical, vaccines and blood products to over 2,500 health facilities.
Zipline introduced in April 2019
Ghana integrated Zipline’s medical drone delivery service into its health supply chain in April 2019 with an initial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UPS Foundation and other partners.
Instant access to health commodities
Zipline enables instant access to hundreds of health commodities for thousands of health facilities across the country.
Autonomous drones
This marked the first time in history that autonomous drones have been used to make regular long-range deliveries into densely populated urban areas.
Zipline reaches half the population
Zipline’s current network in Ghana can reach up to half the population.
Life-saving care
All too often, people requiring life-saving care do not get the medicine they need when they need it.
Reduce medical waste
To increase access and reduce medical waste, key stock of blood products, vaccines, and life-saving medications are stored at Zipline’s base for just-in-time delivery.
Health workers place orders
Health workers place orders by text message or call and promptly receive their deliveries in 30 minutes on average.
Drones deliver the orders
The drones take off from and land at Zipline’s base, requiring no additional infrastructure or manpower at the clinics they serve.
Each drone can carry 1.8 kilos of cargo
The drones fly autonomously and can carry 1.8 kilos of cargo, cruising at 110km an hour, and have a round trip range of 160km—even in high-speed winds and rain.
How Zipline works
Each week, a single Zipline distribution centre – a combination of medical fulfilment warehouse and drone airport – is capable of the on-demand delivery of more than two tonnes of temperature-controlled medicine to any point across an almost 8,000 square mile service area.
30 to 45 minutes deliveries
Each aircraft can fly 100 miles round trip, in strong winds and rain, day or night, to make on-demand deliveries in 30 to 45 minutes on average.
Zipline’s drones have flown more than five million autonomous miles to deliver more than 1.5 million doses of vaccines, units of blood, and critical and life-saving medications to more than a thousand health facilities serving more than 25 million people across three countries.
Zipline in United States
In the United States, Zipline has partnered with a leading healthcare system, Novant Health, on the country’s first drone logistics operation by a hospital system for pandemic response.
To date, Novant Health has utilised Zipline to make contactless drone distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontline medical teams around Charlotte, North Carolina.
Zipline operating in Kaduna and Cross River States in Nigeria
Zipline recently commenced medical delivery services in Kaduna and Cross River States in Nigeria as its footprint grows across Africa.
Set to begin commercial operations in Côte D’Ivoire and Kenya
The company is set to begin commercial operations in Côte D’Ivoire and Kenya this week bringing to five countries in Africa to have adopted the technology.
- VALCO workers asking for dollar indexed salaries untenable – 4 November 2022
- 2022 Fuel price increases: Petrol-94%, diesel-136% in 10 months – 19 October 2022
- Coalition: New producer price too low, it will kill cocoa industry – 18 October 2022
Work begins on major policy for downstream aluminum industry
MTN cuts sod for $25m ‘Ghana ICT Hub’
Dr Addison appeals to MPs to prioritize revenue bills
Soldier slaps policeman provoking violent clash in Accra Central
-
News2 days agoSoldier slaps policeman provoking violent clash in Accra Central
-
Economy6 days agoChina expresses interest in resolving Ghana’s debt issues
-
Business1 day agoMTN cuts sod for $25m ‘Ghana ICT Hub’
-
Finance2 days agoOfori-Atta says creditors agree to form Committee on Ghana
-
News7 hours agoWork begins on major policy for downstream aluminum industry
-
Politics3 days agoEconomy, food security, investment top Kamala Harris’ trip to Africa
-
Finance7 days agoIMF deal: MPs vote on critical revenue bills today
-
Finance2 days agoKamala Harris: US to engage Ghana’s creditors for debt reduction