The Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan Constituency, Hon. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s health supply chain as she delivered the keynote address at the 17th Annual General Meeting of the Health Sector Supply Chain Professionals Association, Ghana, held in Takoradi.
Representing the Ministry of Health, Hon. Ayensu-Danquah described the opportunity as an honour, noting that this year’s theme, “Supply Chain Evolution: Embracing Change and Adapting Roles for Success,” reflects a national call to action. She emphasized that Ghana’s health sector operates in a rapidly changing global environment marked by geopolitical shifts, economic uncertainty, and the disruptive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic—factors that can destabilize even the strongest systems.
According to her, these realities require Ghana to rethink, redesign, and reinforce its supply chain operations to withstand future shocks. She stressed that the supply chain is the backbone of healthcare delivery, describing it as a “silent hero” that links patients to life-saving medicines, vaccines, and services across the country. She added that without a strong supply chain, the nation’s ambition of achieving universal health coverage remains unattainable.
Hon. Ayensu-Danquah highlighted ongoing efforts under the Health Sector Medium-Term Development Plan (2022–2025) and the new 2025–2029 Supply Chain Master Plan, noting that the Ministry is aggressively implementing interventions aimed at building resilience.
She explained that while progress has been made especially in scheduled deliveries, the next phase focuses on institutionalizing systems capable of withstanding shocks, a point she said would be further elaborated by Dr. Bright Agyekum.
She noted that building resilience means diversifying supply sources, strengthening contingency planning, and promoting flexible networks that ensure continuous commodity security for all health facilities. She also emphasized the importance of ethics and sustainability, commending the insights to be shared by Hon. Banson Ahiabler on the triple bottom line, which places equal value on environmental responsibility, process integrity, and financial sustainability.
The Essikado-Ketan MP further acknowledged persistent sector challenges particularly delays in payments by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and some health facilities. These delays, she warned, create cycles of debt that weaken the entire supply chain system. She reaffirmed that ethical sourcing, waste reduction, and strict adherence to quality standards must remain non-negotiable priorities, themes to be expanded by Dr. Addai Donkor.
Commenting on the role of supply chain professionals, Hon. Ayensu-Danquah declared that the era of viewing them merely as logisticians is over. She stated that professionals in the field are now strategic partners in public health, requiring advanced skills to meet emerging demands.
“As Dr. Jacob Kotormi and Mr. Obiri Yeboah (Esq.) will elaborate, modern responsibilities now include strategic thinking, advanced data analytics for accurate forecasting, and effective use of technologies such as the Ghana Integrated Logistics Management Information System (GhiLMIS). Strong competence in risk management, these are essential to preventing stock-outs and ensuring quality.” She said
Shefurther urged supply chain professionals to embrace innovation, continuous learning, and adaptability, noting that the success of Ghana’s health system depends heavily on their expertise and leadership.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.com
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