The Director of Health Services, University for Development Studies, (UDS) Dr. Kabiru K. Azeez has been inaugurated as a member of the Northern Regional Health Committee.

Mr. Frimpong Bonsu, A Development Consultant in Corporate Governance, on behalf of the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, inaugurated the 9-member Health Committee for the Region with a call on them to work towards resolving the myriad of health-related issues in the region.

Members of the Committee include the Nanton Naa, Naa Mohammed Baba Bawa who is the Chairman, Dr. John Bertson Eleeza the Northern Regional Director of Health Services and Ambassador Abdulai Yakubu- Sagnar Naam Representing the Regional House of Chiefs. Others are Rev. Sanatu Nantogmah,, representing the Regional Coordinating Council, Rev Benjamin Owusu Sekyere. representing the Christian Religion, Afa Issah Alhassan, representing the Islamic Religion. The rest are Ms Abiba Amadu, a resident with experience and interest in the matters of health, Dr. Braimah Baba Abubakari, a senior health professional in the Ghana Health Service in the Region and Dr. Kabiru K. Azeez, a resident with experience and interest in the matters of health, who is also the Director of Health Services at the University for Development Studies, (UDS).

Mr. Bonsu told the members of the Regional Health Committee that a lot of confidence was reposed in them as members of the Committee to work and improve the health delivery system in the Region, adding that it was a national call to duty that had to be taken seriously.

He encouraged members of the Committee to apprise themselves of government’s policies on health in the country, which included the ‘free maternal health care, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) concept among others. He added that it is that knowledge of such matters which will put members in the right stead to assist the Regional Director of Health Services to implement policies and programmes to improve the health of the people.

The Chairman of the Committee, Nanton Naa, Naa Mohammed Baba Bawa, on behalf of the members, thanked the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service for the opportunity to serve and assured residents of the Region that they would play their advisory role to ensure effective health delivery.

The Chairperson said the Committee would collaborate and work with the relevant stakeholders to retain health professionals in the Region, and also initiate innovative measures to attract critical staff, especially Specialist Doctors to the Regional and District Hospitals.

The committee’s mandate is to ensure quality health service for the people and to offer advice to the District Director of Health Services.