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HEALTH

Kassena-Nankana devt league presents medical equipment to hospital

A United Kingdom [UK] based diaspora organisation known as the Kassena-Nankana Development League [KNDL], has presented assorted brand new medical equipment to the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East region.

Date Created : 7/18/2019 4:09:26 AM : Story Author : Peter Atogewe Wedam/Ghanadistricts.Com

A founding-member of the League which was birthed in the eighties, Madam Hilda-Mary Woyongo was led by the Navro-Pio, PeAsagpareAneakwoa Dennis Balinia Adda to do the presentation on behalf of her colleagues. She said their gesture was primarily to help enhance efficiency in the delivery of health services in the area. She mentioned the items as including a Surgical cum Airway Suction machine, a nebuliser [a device that aids a patient to breathe-in medication through a mask or mouthpiece], a blood pressure [BP] apparatus and two new oxygen cylinders among others.

Madam Woyongo revealed that she had lived in the UK for over 30 years and that like her many other diaspora mates, they usually return home frequently to Navrongo and its environs noting that, they were not oblivious of the fact that, they could also fall sick and be rushed to the same hospital. Aside this fact, she added that their countless relatives and friends back home, equally needed such quality medical equipment to cater for their health needs and that these among other imperative reasons, moved the League to raise funds for the supply of the items.

On receipt of the package, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr.Majeed Alhassan commended the group for its timely support stressing that the machines will greatly impact the hospital’s emergency preparedness and eventual treatment of cases. He noted that provision of health care as it stands today, could not be borne by only government and that the time was rife for philanthropic individuals and corporate Ghana to step in with all manner of support.

Dr. Majeed stated that the newly received equipment do not only come to replace their few over-used ones they had, but indeed some are unique in their own kind as they were brand new and could last even longer in use if properly handled by his staff. He said for instance, the BP apparatus was one of the most-used if not over-used equipment and that as a result, it may often breakdown but welcomed the new addition brought in by the group.

On the whole, he described the package as “vital life-saving equipment” stressing that, they will be high determinants in saving lives of patients especially thoserushed under emergencies.He however mentioned lack of adequate water storage facilities and unstable electricity supply in the Navrongo area as major obstacles in the smooth delivery of health services. He disclosed that though the hospital had a stand-by power plant, its fuelling was eating deep into their coffers and as an interim solution, he hinted that the facility plans to install sizable solar panels as a power backup.

Kassena-Nankana Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. William Adum who also witnessed the presentation, was elated that his constituents abroad had not abandoned their compatriots back home. He thus thanked the members of League for their selfless assistance. He observed that “health is wealth” and that his people will have a more guaranteed hope of survival whenever they call in at the hospital with their ailments.

According to Hon. Adum, leadership of the Leaguehad also prompted him to advise management of the hospital to write and submit a “needs-specific proposal” to them based on which, they can push for more assistance in aid of the hospital. He said at the Assembly’s own level, it had recently lobbied and got some doctors posted to the area and went ahead to renovate two bungalows housing them. Also, an old borehole at the maternity block had been repaired while a new borehole had also been drilled for the hospital but yet to be mechanised to augment water supply.

Hon. Adum placed an urgent appeal to non-governmental organisation, the business community and all well-meaning Ghanaians to help procure an ambulance for the hospital. He said though his Assembly was trying all it could to repair the only spoilt one available that would be enough even if it eventually gets back on the road.