President John Dramani Mahama, in his state of the nation’s address this year,  said  it  was  the government’s  vision  to  extend  quality health  care  to  all  Ghanaians irrespective of their geographical  location.

This, he said, involved the construction of new facilities and the training of health personnel. According him, healthy people make a healthy nation.  “All  around  the  world  it  is  recognised  that  the costs  and  consequences  of  illness  far  outweigh  the  cost  of  making  quality  healthcare  accessible  and  affordable  to  all.

“To  this  end,  Government  is  pursuing  the  vision  of  bringing  healthcare  to  the  doorsteps  of  our  people,  in  even  the  remotest  of  locations.    We have been engaged in an  aggressive roll out of Community Health Improvement Compounds (CHPS). The  compounds  are  staffed  with  trained  nurses,  midwives,  and  other  auxiliary  health  personnel. They are located in  rural  and  peri-urban  communities,  and  they  provide  basic  healthcare  services  including  antenatal  care  to  pregnant women,” he said.

The vision of the government has been bought into by ENI Foundation, which has spearheaded the construction of two Community Health and Planning Services (CHPS) Compounds at Nyamebekyere (Ellembelle district) and Jaway Wharf (Jomoro district),  in the Western region.

Construction of the CHPS compounds, aimed at strengthening Maternal and Child Services in the western region, is being carried directly by the two District Assemblies- Ellembelle district and Jomoro district-on the basis of the agreement signed between eni Foundation and the two district authorities.

According to a Press release by the Foundation, progress of the project is about 40% and both CHPS Compounds will soon provide both communities with needed Primary Health Care service.

It noted that, important progress of over 60% is also being achieved at the construction of a new Ante-Natal Care (ANC) unit at the Christian Health Association of Ghana- Hospital of San Martin de Porres in Eikwe (Ellembelle).

The Release further disclosed that, the ANC would enable the hospital Out-patient Department to expand its service delivery capability and match the increasing demand for prenatal care service.

“These projects are part of a comprehensive agreement between ENI Foundation and the Ministry of Health with the support of the Ministry of Energy and Ghana Health Service and the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) under a partnership Agreement in support of Ghana’s Ministry of Health Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, aiming at reducing child mordantly and improving maternal health,” it said.

The activities of ENI Foundation in Ghana are supported by ENI Ghana Exploration and Production Limited, the Keta Block in Eastern Ghana deep offshore and the OCTP block in offshore Western Ghana.

The Foundation Project is managed by a joint Steering Committee and intervention at all critical levels of the target Health System branch.

Ghanadistricts.com