The Chief Executive Offi­cer of the newly inaugurat­ed Accra London Health Centre, Dr Vanessa Apea, has underscored the importance of basic public health practices in pre­venting the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases."One of the core principles we must return to is hygiene, it is hand washing, knowing when to seek medical attention when symptoms arise, and staying away from large gatherings when unwell," she stated.Speaking at the official launch of the state-of-the-art medical facility in Accra on Tuesday in Accra, Dr Apea cautioned the public not to let their guard down, stressing that simple actions like hand-washing, mask wearing, and physical dis­tancing remain crucial in curbing transmission."COVID-19 taught us valuable lessons.

Wearing a mask when symptomatic, especially in crowded places, is still relevant and essen­tial."Dr Apea emphasised that the collective health of communities depended on individual respon­sibility, adding "We all affect the health and wealth of others, when one person does well, others do well too."The launch of the Accra London Health Centre marks a significant step forward in Ghana's pursuit of integrated, person-cen­tred healthcare.Dr Apea , who is a UK-trained consultant and women's health ad­vocate, described the facility as the realisation of her long-held dream to offer high-quality, compassion­ate care for the public that bridged the Ghanaian and UK healthcare system."I have a personal passion for women's health from adolescence through menopause and beyond but our services are for every­one, We provide general medical services, specialist consultations, minor surgery, menopause care, aesthetics, pelvic wellness, nutri­tion, mental health counselling, and physiotherapy," she highlighted.Dr Apea also announced sev­eral financing options to ensure accessibility, including plans to be accredited by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), work with private insurance providers, offer fee-for-service, and roll out a flexible subscription scheme that included free health assessment checks, both online and in-person."We want to remove the barriers to care," she explained. "Our goal is to make sure every Ghanaian, regardless of background, gets the care they deserve."The Acting Registrar of the Health Facilities Regulatory Agen­cy (HeFRA), Dr Winfred Korletey Baah, commended the manage­ment of the Accra London Health Centre for their commitment to due process by ensuring the facility was fully registered before com­mencing operations.He described their approach as exemplary, contrasting it with the growing trend of some health facil­ities beginning operations before seeking the necessary regulatory approval.Dr Baah issued a stern warn­ing to such unregistered facilities, urging the public and health entrepreneurs to strictly adhere to the law. "All health facilities must be properly assessed, approved, and registered by HeFRA before they start providing services to the public," he emphasised.He further expressed satis­faction with the Accra London Health Centre, describing it as well-equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology, maintaining high standards of service, and operating in a safe and hygienic environment.He said the facility sets a bench­mark for best practices in Ghana's health sector. BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA