Penplusbytes, the lead ICT organisation engaged in the SEND-Ghana People for Health (P4H) project in four regions of the country, has begun the deployment of the P4H online platform in beneficiary districts in the Northern Region.
The deployment involves the orientation of various stakeholders engaged in the health sector otherwise known as District Citizens Monitoring Committees (DCMCs) as well as visiting staff and management of key health centres.
The P4H platform, developed by Penplusbytes seeks to facilitate citizens’ access to relevant health information especially the patients’ charter, and provide an avenue for them to report their grievances or challenges in accessing healthcare at various health centres in their communities.
So far, the Penplusbytes team led by its Executive Director KwamiAhiabenu II has conducted orientation workshops for DCMCs in the Yendi Municipality,East Mamprusi, Gushiegu and Central Gonja Districts of the Northern Region.
At the Central Gonja District for instance, DCMCs were taken through the concept of the P4H project and its objectives as well as the essence of health workers communicating effectively to their clients in a satisfactory manner with relevant information.
Mr.Ahiabenu explained that, one of the key components of effective and efficient healthcare delivery is through effective communication between healthcare personnel and their clients as well as other stakeholders.
He therefore urged healthcare workers to endeavour to seek feedback from their clients and respond appropriately so as to elicit the desired results that would lead to efficient fight against HIV, maternal and infant mortalities and among others.
The P4H platform, also gives a patient or their relative the power to report any type of rights violation and poor services rendered to him/her by health personnel in any health facility in the regions where the P4H project is being implemented.
KwabenaTabiri, one of the lead developers of the platform, said it seeks to empower citizens to report their concerns on any poor service delivery for immediate resolution so as to achieve quality provision of healthcare from service providers.
The P4H platform can be accessed via people4health.org. One can choose to log in anonymously or provide his/her personal details but managers of the system will protect the person’s identity.
As soon as the issue the patient reported is resolved, he/she will be contacted via sms if only the patient provided his/her contact number at the time of accessing the platform to make a complaint.
People who access the platform to lodge complaints are expected toprovide evidence in pictures, audio or video to back their claims so that staff and managers of the health facility involved can be held responsible.
The P4H platform is however not limited to only challenges in the health sector. Issues pertaining to the water and sanitation sector which is one of the issues being addressed by the P4H project can also be reported to local authorities.
District Health Management Committees, Regional Health Directorates, Ghana Health Service and other institutions are deeply involved in the investigation of reported cases of abuse or poor service delivery by patients or their relatives to the platform.
The P4H is a 5 year project, being implemented in Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta and Northern Regions by a consortium of governmental and nongovernmental organisations including SEND-Ghana, Penplusbytes and the GNA. SEND-Ghana is the lead implementer of P4H whereas the GNA and Penplusbytes provide communications and ICT services respectively.
The project is benefiting 20 districts in all four regions. In the Northern Region, it is being implemented in Karaga, Central Gonja, East Mamprusi and Yendi.
The objectives of the P4H project include reducing inequalities in the delivery of health services through the promotion of good governance and practices of accountability, transparency, equity and participation. - Source: http://bit.ly/2ytXCee
For detailed information on the project, kindly visit www.people4health.org
