As part of the implementation of Integrated Social Services (ISS) programme in the district, the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development on 22nd March, 2023 engaged with various stakeholders (GHS, GES, NHIS, DOVVSU and Police) involved in the ISS Programme at the District Education Directorate’s conference room.
OBJECTIVES OF THIS STAKEHOLDERS’ ENGAGEMENT
• To effectively identify a workable strategy to adopt to help address the concerns of the vulnerable persons in the district.
• A better approach to increase the coverage for the registration of vulnerable groups listed for free NHIS to be enrolled unto the scheme.
• An effective collaboration among Community Leap Focal Persons and Community health nurses to help identify and provide health services for LEAP beneficiaries.
• The role of NHIS, DSWCD, Police (DOVVSU), GHS, GES, Traditional Authorities and other Development Partners.
• The referral pathways among stakeholders to improve case management in the district.
REMARKS FROM DSWCD
The Head of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Mr Cheslyn Nutsugah briefed the stakeholders present about the ISS programme and made it known that the programme is been sponsored by UNICEF. He again added that, for effective implementation of the ISS programme the various stakeholders should not work in isolation but rather develop a better collaboration to be able to address the concerns of the vulnerable groups in the district.
REMARKS FROM POLICE / DOVVSU
Mr. James K. Tawiah, officer in charge of Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) informed stakeholders that, the unit handles the criminal aspect of cases reported to them or identified and later refer the child maintenance aspect to the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development (DSWCD) for redress. When DSWCD successfully handles these cases, the amount agreed on as the Maintenance fee is to be paid through the police. The representative of the District Police Commander, Mr. Joseph Attamah responded that such fees are paid through the police as a witness and such collaboration can really deter respondent from defaulting as well as to enforce defaulters to response or report to the Police or DSWCD. Defaulters are later prepared before the court upon refusal to report to the police or DSWCD for redress.
REMARKS FROM NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE AUTHORITY (NHIA)
The District Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority, Mr. Edward Frimpong said Vulnerable or indigents within the district are enrolled unto the National Health Insurance Scheme for free as well as their renewals after been identified by the DSWCD and further approval from the head office of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). He added that pregnant women and aged persons above seventy (70) years are considered vulnerable but such categories are enrolled unto the scheme without approval.
In view of this, he added that various stakeholders should help contribute to the identification of such venerable persons in the communities or their areas of operations. He also mentioned that there should be the involvement of assembly members, churches and mosques in the identification of vulnerable persons who are qualified to be enrolled unto the scheme to help increase the coverage for the registration of these vulnerable groups in the district.
In a better approach to increase the coverage for the registration of people unto the NHIS in the district, the District Director of Education said some worthy persons in the district can be identified to help in supporting the registering of people unto the Scheme.
The District Social Development Officer in his response said even though it is a good initiative it can also lead to some political interference in the district but rather some corporate companies in the Quarry Mining Sector and other businesses operating in the district can be encouraged to consider assisting the registration of vulnerable people in their operational communities unto the NHIS.
REMARKS FROM GHANA HEALTH SERVICE (GHS)
In other to ensure effective collaboration among Community Health nurses or health providers in providing quality health services for LEAP beneficiaries, the District Director of Health Madam Christiana Kontoh said there should be a review of people benefiting from LEAP since others are more vulnerable than those benefiting and that beneficiaries have been on the programme for a long time.
The District Social Development Officer responded that the DSWCD has not much control over the selection of beneficiaries of the programme but supervises the bi-monthly payments to the beneficiaries; The programme, he added is periodically reviewed and other members and communities included when reviewed.
The District Director of Education advised that the appropriate stakeholders in charge of selecting LEAP beneficiaries should select those who indeed are vulnerable groups in the district.
The District Director of Health assured stakeholders of providing quality health services for LEAP beneficiaries as well referrals from other stakeholders and that, there will be a periodic sensitization for health providers about the ISS programme due to transfers and reposting of health providers.
REMARKS FROM GHANA EDUCATION SERVICE (GES)
The District Director of Education, Mr. David A. Asowah commended the District Social Development Officer for effective collaboration since he has officially written to the Education Directorate to undertake sensitization on topical issues in the various schools in the district and the involvement of the District Girl Child Coordinator.
The District Social Development officer added that, writing officially to the Education Directorate is to seek approval from the District Directorate and also to inform the Heads of the schools selected for sensitization but staff of DSWCD still face some challenge with the Headteachers when they enter the various schools. The District Director of Education was urged to put such letters on the designated WhatsApp platforms of the headteachers to serve as reminders to them.
The District Development Planning Officer, Mr. Ebenezer Quarm added that phone calls can be made to head of schools selected prior to sensitization days to eschew the challenges faced by the staff of DSWCD during their sensitization days.
CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED BY STAKEHOLDERS
The various stakeholders identified the following challenges in the effective implementation of the ISS programme.
1. Inadequate logistics such as vehicles for
• Community and school sensitizations
• Periodic visits to LEAP beneficiaries
• Arresting of defaulters of Child maintenance and Domestic violence offenders
2. Non usage of referral forms in referring cases to various stakeholders for proper case management and documentation.
3. Inadequate office space for Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DoVVSU).
RECOMMENDATION
The following recommendations were made by the stakeholders
1. For effective implementation of the ISS programme the Assembly should make logistics (vehicles) available when the need arises.
2. That the stakeholders should use the referral forms when referring cases for effective case management and proper documentation.
3. That a spacious office should be assign to DoVVSU for effective discharging of their duties.
