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HEALTH

Bolgatanga Assembly Supports Pumpungu CHPS Compound

The Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly has commissioned a mechanised borehole, extended electricity and presented medical and non-medical items valued at GH¢44,000.00 to the Pumpungu Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compound near Sherigu in the Upper East Region.

Date Created : 7/13/2018 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Godfred A. Polkuu

The items included; parturition (delivery), palpation and admission beds, a radiant wormer, a Mobile Mayo Trolley, two standard ward screens, a resuscitation table, three office desks, nine chairs, five steel benches, two wooden shelves, set of curtains and two refrigerators.

At ceremony to handover the gifts to management of the Compound, Mr Joseph Atura Amiyuure, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) acknowledged efforts of the Mahama-led government for constructing the facility, and said the current government was committed to completing unfinished projects to serve their intended purposes.

He said the facility had no electricity and logistics to enable health care professionals to work effectively, especially at night, which compelled community members to travel distances to seek health care services.

Mr Amiyuure said following this inconveniencing situation to the people, the Assembly decided to intervene hence the provision of the augmenting amenities and medical supplies to the facility, adding that health care was paramount to the Akuffo-Addo-led government and would not be compromised.

The MCE said the electricity extension and the mechanised borehole were provided through the Assemblies Common Fund, while the equipment was supplied under the Urban Development Grant facility, and called on managers of the facility and the community members to protect and put the equipment to proper use.

Mr Edmund Nellic Nyanwura, the Bolgatanga Municipal Health Director, expressed gratitude to the Assembly for the gesture, and gave the assurance that the equipment would be used for their intended purpose to benefit community members and appealed for lavatories at the facility for patients.

He said the maximum staff strength of the CHPS Compound was three, adding that its capacity could only manage medical conditions such as simple malaria, respiratory conditions and diarrhoea, while major sicknesses were referred to higher facilities for proper management.

Mr Nyanwura, who is also a Pharmacist, admonished the health professionals to strengthen their home-visits and education in the area, and called on community members to regard the facility as their own property and ensure that they kept it clean, devoid of weeds and

filth

In the same vein, Naba John Atoore, Chief of the area, expressed gratitude to the Assembly for the gesture, and appealed to

government to extend electricity and provide potable water to the community.

Ms Hilda Azeko Billa, a Community Health Nurse at the facility disclosed to the Ghana News Agency later in an interview that

deliveries were hitherto conducted with torch lights at night when cases were brought in, and one bed was used for parturition and palpation of expectant mothers.

She said vaccine storage was equally a challenge because they had to travel to Sherigu Health Centre to store vaccines, and expressed worry about their potency. We are grateful to the Assembly for the support, it would greatly improve health care delivery, she added.