Features
Agenda 111: Potential impetus to health growth
A few days ago, the country witnessed a sod-cutting ceremony at Trede in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region to put up the construction of 111 regional and district hospitals to make Ghana emerge a country with excellent health facilities, the best in the sub-region of West Africa, to prove in practical terms that our lovely country is ready to let the world see how determined it is to lead the way to progress.
Of the 111 hospitals being constructed, 88 are district hospitals while the remaining 13 will represent regional hospitals with two others being specialised hospitals for psychiatric purposes for the Northern and Middle Belts.
In fact, this is the largest investment ever made in the medical history of Ghana since independence and having been carried out by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the country salutes this noble man for his vision and foresight.
On the face of it, many people will not see the health significance of this huge project and its relationship to economic growth in the country. It is, therefore, important for us to examine the relationship between this project and potential economic growth of the country.
MEANING OF HEALTH
Health does not necessarily refer to the absence of disease, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Indeed, the absence of diseases may be important but good health depends on that we find ourselves in a situation where people will be able to enjoy the peace to create activities that lead to socio-economic development in their lives and in the nation. This means that if people are hindered by obstacles that make it possible for them to promote development in their lives, the state of health cannot be said to be good.
There is no doubt that the state of health impacts economic growth in several ways. In the first place, when hospitals exist to cater for the health needs of the people, it makes them healthy and strong to increase productivity. Good health, due to productivity of hospitals, reduces illness on the part of people and enables them to get better nutrition following the guidance given them by the hospitals through quality medical care. This helps to lower absenteeism on the part of workers.
Apart from this, it helps to improve the state of absenteeism on the part of school children, leading to better learning and stronger population. Again, the absence of enough hospitals often leads to increasing illnesses that cannot be easily addressed due to the absence of medical facilities. As a result, efforts are made in form of alternative financial investments for the treatment of the sick population.
ENOUGH HOSPITALS
The availability of enough hospitals in the districts and regions would have made it possible for such investments or financial resources to have been used for alternative projects that could have stimulated a higher rate of socio-economic development. Thus, the 88 district hospitals under construction together with the other 13 regional hospitals including those for psychiatric purposes are meant to promote socio-economic development directly and indirectly in the country.
By implications, therefore, the state of health in a country affects economic growth through productivity of labour. When people fall sick and cannot be treated by reliable medical facilities, it means that the economic burden of illnesses will thwart every effort being made for greater productivity as well as general growth in the economy. If, for example, the health of children is negative due to frequent illnesses in areas without health facilities, the burden of child health will affect the future income of people through the impact health has on education.
Here, the children will not be able to go to school regularly and the financial burden incurred by parents will adversely affect the trend of education in the country. If the trend of education is affected in this way, what it means is that the quality of population produced for the future will not be able to live up to expectation in terms of excellent labour force and high productivity.
INDIRECT IMPACT
This indirect impact is easier to understand if it is observed at the family level. By way of illustration, if a family is healthy, both the mother and father can concentrate on their jobs and earn some money which will allow them to feed and protect the family. In the same way, it will empower them to send their children to school. Ultimately, therefore, healthy and well-nourished children will be able to perform better in school. As these children perform better in school, they will be able to prepare themselves positively for higher or better income in future.
What this means is that if parents can envisage that their children have a high probability of reaching adulthood, they will give birth to fewer children and be able to invest more in terms of time and effort in their health and education.The point being made is that when families suffer from poor health leading to loss of children through death, they decide to have many children so that after a few deaths, some of the children can remain as human assets for their parents.
It is for this reason that in the past, in many farming areas, many parents gave birth to many children so that after a few deaths some of them would be available to help them on their farms. This means that there is a link between availability of medical facilities and the social norms and values of societies. Thus, the construction of the 111 regional and district hospitals, thanks to President Akufo-Addo and his administration, has a huge positive implication for the country’s socio-economic development and should, therefore, not be taken for granted. In other words, families with good health will not necessarily have to bring forth many children and the few children brought forth will not place huge economic burden on the state, thereby accelerating the rate of socio-economic growth.
88 HOSPITALS AND MORE
It is good that the construction of the 88 district hospitals has begun with the sod-cutting by the President a few days back. Indeed, the construction of the regional hospitals, like the district hospitals, is also dependent on the availability of suitable land for that purpose and their construction will begin towards the end of the year as indicated by President Akufo-Addo. The good news is that each hospital will be a modern state-of-the-art single-storey health centre, featuring patient reception and processing area, administration, pharmacy, laboratories/diagnostics, physiotherapy, public health, accident, and emergency facilities.
BIGGEST HEALTH INVESTMENT
As already indicated, this would be the biggest investment in health care in the country and for this reason, they should be monitored on continuous basis by the districts through the District and Metropolitan Chief Executives, whether already on the job or will be in-coming new executives. The regional hospitals, when they also begin later, should be closely monitored by Regional Ministers so that regular accounts on progress of work can be given to Ghanaians who happen to be the chief stakeholders in this enterprise.
President Akufo-Addo and his administration mean business so the entire nation must give them, but not listen to desperate propagandists in the country, the support needed to propel Ghana to a higher pedestal of socio-economic development.
Contact email/WhatsApp of author:
Pradmat2013@gmail.com (0553318911)
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Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
