Accra: The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched a Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) Framework to support the management of public health emergencies. The RCCE implementation framework was introduced at the closing ceremony of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) three-day Senior Managers Meeting (SMM) held in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, the RCCE framework is a six-pillar model designed to provide systematic guidelines to ensure preparedness and response before, during, and after public health crises. The model aims to offer the health sector a comprehensive approach to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the system during public health emergencies.
Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Acting Director General of the GHS, addressed the SMM on the theme: ‘Resetting Healthcare Delivery for Effective Governance, Equitable and Sustainable Financing to achieve Universal Health Coverage.’ He emphasized that the repositioning of the GHS could be achieved if health workers adapt to provide more support towards improving the sector. He stated, ‘This is the time for reset. We must reset ourselves first before we can reset other people.’
Mrs. Mabel Kissiwah Asafo, Acting Director, Health Promotion Department (HPD), GHS, urged senior managers and stakeholders to champion the RCCE framework and ensure that resources and structures are activated and sustained for accountability. She stressed the importance of preventing the framework from being left void, which could lead to unnecessary rumours and misinformation within the health sector.
Dr. Zanetor Rawlings, Member of Parliament (MP) for Korley Klotte, highlighted the impact of a favourable working environment in the health sector on patient care. She encouraged GHS staff to ensure that medical facilities provide dignity and respect for patient care, reminding them that every statistic represents an individual.
The RCCE Framework serves as a roadmap to save lives, strengthen trust, and build community resilience. It aims to ensure timely protective actions, build trust between health authorities and communities, and prevent and reduce fear, rumours, and misinformation. Additionally, it seeks to foster community engagement and participation, develop message dissemination, and support health workers in acquiring more expertise in monitoring, feedback, and the adaptation of sustainability and integration.
The Senior Managers Meeting is an annual event held by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to discuss significant issues related to the health sector. The SMM provides a platform to address challenges within the healthcare sector and strategize to improve service delivery, strengthen leadership, and advance preparedness and planning to achieve universal health coverage.