Chairperson of the COVID-19 National Trust Fund, Justice Sophia Akuffo, has revealed that the Fund will continue to target potential donors to contribute to it.
According to her, the Trust Fund embarked on a fund-raising drive since early 2021 and a number of potential donors have been approached. She indicated that so far favourable responses such as cheque donations have been received from the Presbyterian Church, GCB Bank and MTN.
“The Trust Fund intends to continue with this approach of targeting potential donors, as the outcome of such initiatives has been for the most part positive. The potential donors will include pharmaceutical and telecommunication companies as well as mining firms, major religious bodies, highly successful media outlets and the generosity of the general public.”
Justice Sophia Akuffo
Justice Akuffo noted that the Trust Fund, in line with Act 1013 will continue to keep its mandate to assist in the welfare of needy and vulnerable persons infected with or affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra today, July 21, 2022, Justice Akuffo stated that the Fund as at 30th June 2022, had received a total amount of GHC62,329,941.98 from both cash and kind donations.
The Fund’s Chairperson emphasized that substantial quantity of PPE which included hand sanitizer, liquid soap, hand gloves, thermometer guns, nose masks, disposable bedsheets, surgical gowns, face shields, surgical caps, tissue rolls were donated in kind. Also, she explained that some laboratory supplies such as reagents and non-perishable food items were given.
Achievements of National Trust Fund
Justice Akuffo revealed that some of the PPE and laboratory supplies were donated to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, COVID-19 Care Management Centres, Ghana Health Service facilities and other public as well as private health institutions across the country.
“As at 30th June 2022, the Fund had disbursed, for various programmes as well as for administrative purposes and procurement of items, an amount of GH¢53,230,805.37.”
Justice Sophia Akuffo
Touching on the accountability of the Fund, Justice Akuffo revealed that the Trust Fund has two policies approved by the Board of Trustees guiding the receipt of donations and disbursement of funds. These, she noted, included the Disbursement Policy Formula and Guidelines and Donations and Receipts Policy.
Madam Akuffo expressed that this was to ensure procurement intended for each project is in accordance with the “Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663) with Public Procurement (Amendment) Act, 2016 (Act 914); the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921) and the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I 2378)”.
Touting the achievement of the Fund, Madam Akuffo revealed that it has chalked up several achievements within its brief span of existence which includes health Infrastructure and Medical Laboratory in the country. Additionally, she expressed the timely donation to the “Private Sector Fund helped bridge the funding gap towards completion” of the 100-bed Infectious Disease Centre at Ga East Municipal Hospital in Accra.
“Provision of funds to GARH for the laying of a pipeline connecting the hospital’s oxygen plant to its COVID-19 ICU and Holding Bay at the hospital was saved from incurring an average expenditure of GHȻ24,000.00 worth of tanked oxygen per month.”
Justice Sophia Akuffo
At the height of the pandemic, Justice Akuffo opined that funding assistance from the Trust Fund enabled among other things, the rehabilitation and equipping of COVID-19 isolation centre at Pantang Hospital and providing much needed accommodation for affected COVID-19 patients.
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