The Ghana Coalition of Healthcare NGOs

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 organisations from all the regions of the country.

Healthcare delivery in Ghana is mainly a preserve of the public sector. For many years, private organisations 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 recognised 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 to empower member NGOs to ensure quality health for all in Ghana; through capacity building and innovative programmes. 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 Royal 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 allowing its regional organs access to partner funds in order to carry out programmes in the regions, especially in the areas of malaria control, family planning, tuberculosis and drug abuse.

Available Positions

Requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years of age upon application.
• You must have a background of relevance to the individual position and have a strong interest in Healthcare and Development issues.
• In order to maintain the sustainability and high performance of this project all volunteers are required to complete a detailed hand-over document for successive volunteers.
• You will need to be flexible and tolerant, show initiative and enthusiasm to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will encounter.
• The roles will be quite hectic with a minimum working day of 8hrs required. All interns will be required to act professionally and dress appropriately (jackets will need to be on stand-by).

Documentation Requirements:

• A completed application form - required for application.
• A personal or professional reference given by an employer, teacher, lawyer or doctor. This reference must include detail of the context in which the referee knows you, verifying your CV and stating that he/she knows of no reason why you should not volunteer. The referee should also provide their contact details in order that Ikando can contact them prior to your departure to confirm the reference given. This reference should be emailed by the referee to info [at] ikando.org.
• A copy by email to info [at] ikando.org of your travel (including medical) insurance certificates.
• Information on your travel arrangements (flight number, airline, arrival and departure time and dates). We always recommend volunteers who book online to email us their booking.
• A copy of the photo page of your passport to be emailed to info [at] ikando.org.

All Documentation must be sent to us at least two weeks before arrival.

Important Details

Click here for more information on our pricing.

What’s included in the project fees?
• Accommodation & fully furnished kitchen
• Welcome pack
• In-country introduction to life in Ghana.
• Airport pick-up & drop-off
• 24/7 Emergency support.

What’s not included?
• Flights & Visa
• Vaccinations (please speak to your local GP)
• Insurance (required)

Health and Safety
Ghana is one of the safest countries in Africa. In the Global Peace Index it is ranked above the US. It is the perfect introduction for first time volunteers to Africa. It has a democratic electoral process and a stable economy. Our ten-strong team in Ghana is there to ensure your health and safety at all times and you'll have emergency support 24/7.

Accommodation
The volunteer will be housed in our accommodation in the centre of town, with it possible to walk from the accommodation to nearby shops, communication centres, bars and restaurants. The spacious accommodation with a fully furnished kitchen is well maintained and has live-in staff to ensure you are well looked after. The surrounding garden and balconies overlooking Accra are perfect for chill out sessions with fellow volunteer housemates.

Food
Food is not included in our placements as in our experience volunteers prefer to cater for themselves. We have a fully furnished kitchen and our staff will show you where you can do your shopping. Western-style supermarkets and the bustling markets can be found nearby. A weekly vegetable & fruit shop can cost as little at $10, however shopping at the western-style supermarkets can be quite dear as most goods are imported.

"Quarshi (Ikando Staff) will introduce you to a woman named Felicia who sells mangos and bananas. Her mangos may very well be the sweetest in town. And, you will love shopping in the market." Elise Wray.

Airport Pick up
An Ikando member of staff will be at the airport arrivals to meet you and take you to the Accra accommodation. Please be aware that arrivals is located outside the airport, just keep an eye out for a sign with your name on it. Please ensure you send us your flight details two weeks before arrival.

Flights
Volunteers must arrange their own flights to Accra Airport (ACC). Please be aware that you should aim to arrive on the day your placement is due to start. If you are unable to do so please just check first with your volunteer coordinator whether the new dates also work for us. The following airlines fly into Accra:

• Alitalia (Lagos, Rome-Fiumicino)
• British Airways (London-Heathrow)
• Delta Air Lines (New York-JFK)
• EgyptAir (Cairo)
• Emirates (Abidjan, Dubai)
• Ethiopian Airlines (Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Lagos, Lome)
• Ghana International Airlines (London-Gatwick, Dusseldorf)
• Kenya Airways (Nairobi, Freetown, Monrovia)
• KLM (Amsterdam)
• Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Lagos)
• South African Airways (Johannesburg)

Volunteer Visa