The Principal of the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Sampa, Mr. Albert Opoku, has reaffirmed his institution’s commitment to forging a strong research partnership with the Jaman North District Health Directorate to promote evidence-based healthcare delivery in the district.
Mr. Opoku made the pledge while chairing the Annual Performance Review Meeting of the Directorate in the Bono Region. The important gathering brought together the Jaman North District Director of Health Services, health professionals, development partners, members of the media, and other key stakeholders in the health sector.
In his remarks, Mr. Opoku described the annual review as more than a routine administrative exercise, characterizing it as a strategic platform for reflection, accountability, and renewed commitment to improving health outcomes in the district. He stressed that performance reviews must focus not only on statistics, but on measurable impact in the lives of the people.
“It is said that what gets measured gets improved,” he stated, explaining that the objective of the review was not to apportion blame but to learn, assess impact, identify gaps, and design practical solutions to strengthen service delivery.
He underscored the central role of healthcare in national development, noting that a healthy population remains fundamental to productivity and socio-economic progress. Quoting former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, he reminded participants that health is a human right and not a privilege, a principle that places a solemn responsibility on administrators, clinicians, educators, and policymakers.
The review, he indicated, provided the opportunity to examine service delivery indicators, evaluate maternal and child health outcomes, assess disease control interventions, review health financing and logistics systems, and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.
Mr. Opoku emphasized that performance reviews in the health sector are essential instruments for tracking progress, promoting transparency, and ensuring accountability, with the ultimate aim of improving patient outcomes.
Highlighting the role of the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Sampa, as a key training institution within the district, he reiterated the college’s readiness to collaborate with the District Health Directorate in research and publications to strengthen evidence-based practice. According to him, the mandate of the college goes beyond training competent nurses and midwives to producing professionals who are compassionate, ethical, and community-oriented.
He noted that structured collaboration in research would help generate local data to inform policy decisions and improve healthcare interventions tailored to the specific needs of communities within Jaman North District.
Referencing the legacy of Florence Nightingale, Mr. Opoku stressed that excellence in healthcare demands discipline, integrity, and continuous learning. He acknowledged persistent health challenges such as maternal mortality, teenage pregnancy, malaria, non-communicable diseases, and emerging public health threats, calling for innovation, teamwork, and data-driven decision-making to address them effectively.
He urged participants to remember that behind every statistic is a human life — a mother, a child, and a family whose well-being depends on the competence and dedication of health professionals. He further encouraged open discussions, honest assessments, and constructive recommendations during the review process.
While commending improvements in areas such as immunization coverage, skilled delivery rates, and disease surveillance systems, he challenged stakeholders to confront existing gaps with courage and collective responsibility.
Citing guidance from the World Health Organization, he reminded participants that the ultimate goal of every health system is to improve people’s health. He therefore called on stakeholders to strengthen inter-facility collaboration, invest in staff capacity building, improve data quality and reporting systems, enhance community engagement, and promote professionalism and ethical practice.
Mr. Opoku cautioned that the success of the review would ultimately depend on the implementation of its recommendations. He stressed that reports must not gather dust on shelves, but must be translated into actionable plans, closely monitored, and faithfully executed.
In closing, he expressed appreciation to the Jaman North District Health Directorate for organizing the review and commended health workers across the district for their tireless service under often challenging conditions. He pledged his support in chairing the programme to a successful conclusion and called for renewed energy, strengthened partnerships, and unwavering commitment to delivering equitable and quality healthcare to all residents of Jaman North District.
