Christian Health Associat (Christian Health Association of Ghana - CHAG)

The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) is a faith-based network organisation of 21 Christian church denominations, involved in the provision of health care and training of health professionals. Established in 1967, the Association currently comprises 58 hospitals, 114 health centres and clinics, and 10 health training institutions. Membership has gone up from 25 in 1967 to 182 in 2012. The network members collectively have a staff strength of approximately 7,300.

CHAG was initially founded in 1967, as a Voluntary Professional Association and subsequently registered as a Corporate Body in 1968 under the Trustees (Incorporation) Act, 1962 Act 106, the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana being the main stakeholders in the Association. The Ghana Pentecostal Council was later admitted into membership as an Associate Member.

The governance structure of CHAG comprises three distinct layers of the Council, the Board and the Secretariat. The Board is composed of nominated representatives of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecostal Council. The Board is tasked to support and monitor the implementation of decisions and programmes by the secretariat that serve the interest of members. The Secretariat is responsible for managing the network and ensuring that the aims and objectives of the association and the needs of members towards contributing to the achievement of national health outcomes are met.

The uniqueness of CHAG as an organisation is the independence and autonomy of its members. This is recognised as the strength of the organisation where the diversity of its members is respected and harnessed for human centred, affordable and high quality patient care.

The Vision of CHAG is:
“A healthy nation, Christ’s Healing Ministry Fulfilled”

The mission of CHAG is:
To promote the healing ministry of Christ and be a reliable partner in the Health Sector in providing the health needs of the people in Ghana in fulfilment of Christ’s mandate to go and heal the sick.
 
The core values of CHAG are
• Christian identity and witness
• Unity in Diversity
• Respect for the dignity of the person
• Holistic health care
• Creativity and Excellence
• Accountability and Transparency
• Co-operation and partnership
• Option for the poor and the marginalized

The objectives of CHAG are:
1. To foster a closer partnership between Church-related health services and the Ministry of Health to promote health care in Ghana.
2. To assist in planning and coordinating the training programmes and other medical work or services of the members of the Association.
3. To assist the members of the Association with respect to the employment of staff, provision of supplies to the hospitals or other medical services maintained or supported or controlled or supervised by any member of the Association.
4. To encourage and assist the members to promote the healing ministry for the benefit and the welfare of the people of Ghana.
5. To implement policies set by the members and do such other things in cooperation with the members of the Association as are conducive to the attainment of the above aims and objectives of the Association or any of them and generally to act for the benefit and welfare of the people living in Ghana.