Kutsinu: Mr James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister, the Ketu North Municipal Assembly, and Reverend Martin Amenaki, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), have cut sod for the construction of two modern Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds.
According to Ghana News Agency, the facilities, which will be built under the District Assemblies Common Fund, are expected to include maternity units, three-unit nurses' quarters, and other auxiliary structures to provide comprehensive and accessible healthcare services to residents.
The CHPS Compounds for the Wuti-Kutsinu-Avunu and Adzoatsi Electoral Areas aim to enhance primary healthcare delivery. Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremonies, Mr James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister, emphasized that the projects align with President John Dramani Mahama's vision of ensuring good health for all citizens. He highlighted the government's commitment to improving healthcare access through the 'Mahama Care' initiative and the strengthening of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), noting that productivity across sectors depends on a healthy population.
Mr Gunu expressed gratitude to traditional authorities and landowners for voluntarily releasing land for the projects and assured communities that funding had been secured to ensure completion within six months. He mentioned that regular monitoring and site meetings would be conducted to guarantee quality work and timely delivery, following the President's directive that no project should be initiated without assured funding.
Rev Martin Amenaki, the Municipal Chief Executive, stated that the construction of the CHPS compounds is part of the government's Reset Agenda and a directive to Assemblies to prioritize primary healthcare infrastructure using the Common Fund. He explained that although the projects were initially scheduled to begin last year, challenges in securing suitable sites delayed their commencement. However, due to the pressing healthcare needs of the two communities, the Assembly resolved to prioritize them.
Rev Amenaki elaborated that the facilities would be modern and fully equipped, including three-unit nurses' quarters, and appealed to residents to take ownership of the projects to ensure proper maintenance after completion. Mr Eric Edem Agbana, the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, expressed gratitude to the chiefs and community leaders for providing land for the projects, describing their cooperation as a critical contribution to development. He stated that the Assembly and his office had agreed to ensure that CHPS compounds were constructed in electoral areas that currently lacked permanent healthcare facilities.
Alhaji Sumaila Garuba, the Ketu North Municipal Health Director, noted that national health policy requires every electoral area to have a functional CHPS facility, highlighting that some communities in the municipality were operating in temporary or privately-owned structures. He explained that the CHPS facility serving Wuti-Kutsinu-Avunu was operating in a private building, posing the risk of closure if the owner reclaimed the property. The new permanent structure would ensure continuity of healthcare services.
Alhaji Garuba added that the lack of a fully equipped facility had limited the provision of maternal and child health services, including deliveries, in the area. He expressed optimism that the new compounds, which would include accommodation for health staff, would enable 24-hour service delivery and improve access to antenatal care and skilled birth attendance. Chiefs, elders, assembly members, and community residents from the two electoral areas commended the government for the initiative and pledged their support to ensure the successful completion and maintenance of the facilities for their benefit.