First mother, child hospital inaugurated in northern Ghana

50-BED capacity mother and child hospital has been inaugurated in Sumbrungu-Agusi in the Bolgatanga Municipality in the Upper East Region.

The facility is the first-ever mother and child hospital to be established in the five northern regions, as all other available health facilities provide general medical services to patients.

The well-furnished facility was initiated by Engage Now Africa, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in collaboration with the Ensign College, Ghana Health Service (GHS), with funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints.

It is envisaged that the facility will provide essential healthcare services for mothers and children in the region, and particularly contribute to reducing maternal and infant mortality.

It has facilities such as malnutrition consulting area, labour and delivery rooms, pediatric care unit, postpartum, pharmacy, observation area, laboratory, emergency obstetrics and nurses’ quarters, among others.

Testament

Speaking at the inauguration last Tuesday, Head of Area Seventy for The Church of Latter-day Saints, Elder Kofi G. Sosu, said the provision of the hospital was a shining testament to the power of collaboration, compassion and selfless service.

He said as members of the church, they were motivated by the love for God and their commitment to follow His example, saying “we strive to love our neighbours through Christ-like service which the project embodies”.

He indicated that as a church, they were humbled to contribute to the well-being of the people in the beneficiary community and said the sacrifices towards the construction of the hospital were not made to gain personal recognition.

Rather, he explained that the move was to strive to emulate Jesus Christ and to support humanity as He would, by contributing towards improving the health needs of the residents in the beneficiary community.

Elder Sosu further said the hospital was more than just a building but a sanctuary of hope, a haven of healing and a symbol of their shared humanity and expressed the hope that the facility would serve and bless many families in the future.

“As a church, we have the conviction that through these donations, we are strengthening the facility to provide quality healthcare services to all people in need,” he stated, adding “we trust that this new edifice will ensure that mothers and newborns are healthy by promoting safe deliveries.”

Further, he expressed optimism that the management and staff of the hospital together with the community would maintain and care for the facility to last longer to serve its intended purposes.

Maternal health

The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, said maternal and child health remained one of the most pressing issues in the country’s healthcare delivery system, as expectant mothers and young children still faced considerable risks due to inadequate healthcare services.

Therefore, he said the establishment of the new specialised hospital would provide timely quality services that were accessible, efficient and tailored to the general needs of children and mothers.

“Any effort towards improving maternal health should be the priority of every community, as it is crucial to achieving several sustainable development goals (SDGs),” he said and therefore extended appreciation to all the partners behind the construction of the hospital.

Dr Hafiz indicated that with the provision of the needed equipment coupled with the availability of skilled personnel and a supportive environment, there was no doubt that the hospital would provide life-saving medical services to people within its catchment area.

Significant

The Country Director, Engage Now Africa, Cecelia Amankwah, said the provision of the hospital was significant, as their main mission was to heal, rescue and lift people in hard-to-reach communities out of poverty.

She said people could not be lifted out of poverty if they were not healthy and that the organisation thought it wise to put up the hospital to provide good and quality healthcare services to the people.

She added that aside from the hospital, the organisation had provided 100 boreholes and was currently mechanising them to enable residents in the beneficiary areas to have quick access to water for their daily activities.

This, she said, when completed, would bring relief to women and children who struggle on a daily basis in search of water, adding that “children will no longer attend school late since the water services will be closer to them”.

Other speakers

A representative of the Chief of Sumbrungu, Aaron Aberese, on behalf of the people, commended Engage Now Africa and its collaborators for the construction of the hospital to address the health needs of the people.

He appealed to the government to take immediate steps to repair a broken bridge within the area to make it easier for residents to have access to the medical facility to receive the best of health care.

In a welcome remark, the Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga, Rex Asanga, underscored the importance of the provision of the hospital, as it had brought health care delivery closer to the people. 

Writer’s email: gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh