Daffiama: The residents of Daffiama, a community in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District, have raised concerns about the inadequate medicines at the health facilities in the community, which compels patients to buy medicines despite them having active health cards.
According to Ghana News Agency, the problem is compounded by the poor health infrastructure in the community, sometimes costing the lives of patients as they are forced to travel to neighboring communities to access healthcare. Mr. Edward Ziema Kpieonoma, a Unit Committee Member in the community, highlighted the issue during an interview, noting that despite having a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound and a health center, accessing medicines at these facilities remains a significant challenge.
'Sometimes, with a common drug like paracetamol, you are asked to go and buy because there are no drugs, which really disturbs us a lot,' Mr. Kpieonoma stated. He emphasized that the lack of medicines has forced some community members to travel to the Health Centre at Doung, a neighboring community, but the distance sometimes leads to preventable deaths. He called on the government to provide medicines to the local health facilities to prevent residents from seeking healthcare elsewhere.
Madam Mary Nyeyere, another resident, commended the dedication of the health workers but expressed concern that inadequate medicines, equipment, and space severely undermine the quality of care available. She explained that even basic medicines like paracetamol are often unavailable, forcing residents to purchase them. Furthermore, the facility has only one small ward accommodating up to seven patients, leading to premature discharges during high attendance periods, which compromises recovery.
Madam Nyeyere also observed that the lack of equipment forces health workers to refer patients to other facilities, adding to the burden on both patients and their families. She appealed to the government and stakeholders to invest in health facilities to reduce the burden on health workers and ensure access to quality healthcare, especially in rural communities.
The community members also appealed to benevolent individuals and organizations to donate medicines and equipment and expand the infrastructure at the health center to improve service delivery. Improving the quality of services at the health facilities in Daffiama would contribute toward Ghana achieving Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG 3), which seeks to 'Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.'