The Banda District Assembly has inaugurated two Community-Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compounds in the underserved farming communities of Kojee and Dompofie in the Bono Region.
The new facilities are expected to ease the burden on residents who have endured years of difficulty accessing medical services in other communities.
Inaugurated to transform access to primary health care, each facility consists of an Out-Patient Department (OPD), a records section, a pharmacy, consulting and storerooms.
They also have waiting areas for antenatal and post-natal services, delivery rooms and borehole facilities.
Dire need
At a separate inauguration, the Banda District Chief Executive (DCE), Peter Dongi, said the assembly completed the two abandoned CHIPS compounds because the communities were in dire need of the facilities.
He explained that access to healthcare services in the communities was challenging, as the residents had to travel long distances with a series of inconveniences for medical attention.
Deplorable roads
Roads leading to the communities are in poor condition, compelling residents to rely on motorbikes and tricycles to transport sick people, including pregnant women, for medical care when the need arises.
The beneficiary communities thanked President John Dramani Mahama, the Member of Parliament for the Banda, Ahmed Ibrahim, and Mr Donji for the projects.
No hospital
For his part, the Banda District Director of Health, Simon Adams, bemoaned the lack of hospitals in the district, describing the situation as "a very big issue".
He explained that the entire district had no hospital, but only two health centres, a rural clinic and eight CHPS compounds.
Mr Adams said residents had to travel to Nsawkaw in the Tain District or Wenchi in the Wenchi Municipality to access secondary health services.
"Most of the cases we often refer to Nsawkaw or Wenchi are women in labour, snake bites and children under five years with malaria," he explained.
Gratitude
The Chief of Korjee, Nana Yaw Kumah Dwenewokroho, expressed his gratitude to the government for investing in the deprived community.
He pledged to receive and support all health workers posted to the facility, enabling them to deliver optimal service.
Nana Kumah appealed to the assembly, particularly Mr Donji, to continue to support the community with developmental projects to improve their living standard.
Writer's email: biiya.ali@graphic.com.gh
