Ghana Coalition of Healthcare NGO's

  Ghana

• Accra: 
Accra

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks

Description: The Ghana Coalition of Healthcare NGOs is a supervisory organisation which was established in March 2000 under the auspices of the Ministry of Health. It was set up to co-ordinate the efforts of NGO's in support of the health delivery system in Ghana. Its members are largely made up of local NGOs who are involved in the prevention, promotion and provision of health services in Ghana. Currently, the Coalition has a membership of over 300 organizations from all the regions of the country.

Healthcare delivery in Ghana is mainly a preserve of the public sector. For many years, private organizations and NGO's have not been encouraged to help improve healthcare delivery and improve accessibility to healthcare services all over Ghana. Beginning in the year 2000, the Ministry of Health recognized the pivotal role NGO's can play in improving quality healthcare accessibility and education. One of the main causes of the low accessibility to healthcare services is the trend of the doctor-population ratio in Ghana. To address the gap caused by too few doctors for a fast growing population, the Ghana Coalition of NGO's in health was formed.

The mission of the Coalition is to influence health policy and in collaboration with other stakeholders empower member NGOs to ensure quality health for all in Ghana; through capacity building and innovative programs. To that end, the Coalition is currently involved in the following programmes:

* An institutional development and capacity-building project funded by the Royal Netherlands embassy, aimed at increasing the capabilities of member NGO's to provide healthcare services for residents in the rural communities of Ghana.

* A Ghana Aids Commission funded project targeted at 5 districts in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This project is aimed at reducing the rate of new HIV infections in the region. This project aims at educating residents on the dangers of HIV/AIDS, while encouraging testing and control.

* A UNAIDS funded project to infuse anti-stigma messages in outreach programmes all over Ghana.

Over the past 9 years of its existence, the Coalition has managed resources from the Netherlands Embassy and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to strengthen its capacity to co-ordinate and build their capacity to deliver at the district level, as well as positively influence health policy. It has effectively used the bottom-up approach by subletting some partner funds to its regional organs to carry out programmes in the regions, especially in the areas of malaria control, family planning, tuberculosis and drug abuse.

Qualifications: Available Positions:

* HIV/AIDS Project Officer:
A project officer is required to support current HIV/AIDS reduction projects (see above), this will include research and proposal writing.

* Research Assistant:
The Coalition needs a research assistant to help conduct research on pertinent health issues in various communities in Ghana.

* Projects Support Officer:
A dedicated project officer is required to lead efforts in proposal writing, projecting the image of the organization and fundraising.

* Monitoring & Evaluation Officer:
A monitoring & evaluation officer is needed to evaluate the impact of capacity-building training on communities, as well as its contribution to national outcomes.

Cost in US$: USD 163 per week

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18-65

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Ikando's Mission Statement: Ikando looks to support local community organisations through the placement of international volunteers. We seek to offer volunteers affordable, quality and skill specific placements with organisations that require their help. We believe our volunteers can be catalysts for change within these organisations. Ikando aims to communicate through its volunteers the positive story coming out of Africa.

Year Founded: 2004