UK gives Ghana 42.5 million pounds for health sector

from Afriquenligne

Ghana and the United Kingdom on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) under which the UK is committing 42.5 million pounds sterling to the Health sector.

Mike Hammond, Country Director for the UK's Department for International Development in Ghana and Dr Anthony Akoto Osei Minister of State for Finance and Economic Planning, signed the MOU.

Hammond said this commitment over the next five years signified the strong relationship between Ghana and the UK, as the biggest bilateral donor to Ghana.

"I am pleased to be able to make this announcement as it shows the UK's support for Ghana's progress in meeting some key health indicators, such as the increase in immunization coverage."

He pointed out, however, that significant challenges remained in particular tackling the off-track Millennium Development Goals on maternal and child mortality.

"This money will enable the Ghanaian Government to address these issues and reduce poverty levels even further," Hammond said.

The money would be used to assist the Ministry of Health in tackling priorities as set out in its programme of work (2007 – 2011), which aims "to ensure a healthy and productive population that reproduces itself safely".

It aims to make progress against four strategic objectives: promote healthy life styles and environment; increase coverage of health, reproduction and nutrition interventions; strengthen the capacity of the health system and improved governance and sustainable financing.

"By providing support in this way, DFID is assisting the Government to meet its obligations including its recently announced support for pregnant women," Hammond said.

The UK Government currently provides around 80 million pounds sterling annually to Ghana to implement its Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II).