News
Help Effia Nkwanta hospital install equipment for COVID-19 patients
The Medical Director of the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital (ENRH) in the Western Region, Dr Joseph Tambil has said that the facility had many infrastructural challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has, therefore, appealed to the oil and mining companies and other well-meaning Ghanaians to help the hospital to renovate its uncompleted buildings to install COVID-19 equipment.
He said that though the COVID-19 was going down, the hospital would have no holding for the patients should there be a second wave because the current structure used as COVID-19 holding place was woefully inadequate.
Dr Tambil was speaking in an interview with The Spectator on preparations to house patients of COVID-19.
“I feel COVID-19 is going down but if there is a second wave it will take us by surprise so the Western Region needs to be adequately prepared to accommodate COVID-19 patients”, he said.
He disclosed that the Mothers’ Hostel needed about GHC800, 000. 00 to complete the facility and make it habitable for about 1,000 patients.
He said the Hostel was started by the former Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Mr Paapa Owusu Ankomah but he could not complete it and it has been on the ground floor for all these years.
He said the facility was the ideal place for COVID-19 patients since it was out of the hospital.
The Medical Director said that though COVID-19 had been bad, it had brought some assistance like ventilators which were badly needed by the hospital to set up an Intensive Care Unit because such cases were always sent to either Cape Coast or Accra.
Dr Tambil asked the good people of the region especially the oil and mining companies to come to the assistance of the hospital because it lacked so many things as a referral hospital
He said with the donation of ventilators and patient monitors, the hospital still needed infrastructure to install these equipment for use, stressing that the hospital had the technicians to handle the equipment but no room to accommodate the monitors and ventilators.
The Medical Director appealed to the paramount chiefs to urge people of good financial standing to come and help because “the hospital had no ward fit enough to admit important personalities when these people were referred to the hospital for treatment.”
From Peter Gbambila, Takoradi.
News
‘Nipahiamoa’ residents cry for basic social amenities
Residents of a farming community in the Nkoranza North District of the Bono East Region are living under conditions that directly reflect or connote the name of the township, Nipahiamoa.
The name of the town, Nipahiamoa, when translated directly means ‘humans need help.’
Despite the contribution in ensuring there is sufficient food in not only the region but the country at large, Nipahiamoa lacks basic social amenities to make life enjoyable after their farming activities.
water for the people of Nipahiamoa
According to some of the members of the community that The Spectator spoke to during a visit to the area, they lacked basic needs such as potable water, health post, among others.
This, they claimed, was impacting negatively on their general wellbeing and appealed to authorities to come to their aid.
The Unit Committee chairman of Nipahiamoa, Mr James Najohnbo, told this paper on Thursday that successive governments have neglected the town over the years.
“It is the reason we are where we are today in this era of development. Some people poke fun that our condition is a reflection of the name of the town but I don’t believe that. We have been neglected by governments over the years. There are no government initiatives here,” he explained.
The community, inhabited by over one thousand people, mostly settlers, is located on the Techiman-Kintampo stretch of the Trans-ECOWAS highway which connect from Tema to Mali.
Mr Najohnbo, who conducted this reporter around, revealed that a borehole constructed for the community by the former Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, Major Derrick Oduro, had since broke down, compelling the people to turn to the Bono manso waterfalls which they trek several kilometres for their source of water.
Mr Najohnbo stated that their children are not left out in this challenges as they had to trek to either Manso or Dweneho, about two kilometres to access healthcare and education.
He added that a wooden structure constructed in 1994 currently serves as the only primary school for the community.
“Our kids had to trek several kilometres to Manso to attend school which come at cost to most parents.”
A 30-year old hairdresser, Rebecca Dibenpong, also appealed to authorities to come up with income generating activities to boost economic lives of the people.
She alleged that politicians often claimed they don’t have enough numbers to attract development, hence such initiatives were directed to bigger communities.
Like the name suggest, Nipahiamoa, the community needs urgent attention to make life meaningful for the people who contribute to the national economy by way of their farming activities.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Nipahiamoa
News
Maternal mortality rate increases in Ashanti Region
The Ghana Health Service has revealed a staggering statistic of 1,000 women losing their lives during childbirth in the Ashanti Region between 2020 and 2024.
This alarming number, according to the Regional Health Director, Dr Frank Adomanko Boateng, highlights the persistent challenge of maternal mortality in Ghana, despite efforts to improve maternal healthcare.
Dr Adomanko Boateng, therefore emphasized on an urgent need for stronger interventions to curb the high rate of maternal deaths.
Speaking at the 2024 Regional Health Forum, he indicated that “Ghana is struggling to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing maternal mortality to 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.”
Dr Boateng stressed that time was of the essence, saying, “The clock is ticking, and we must double our efforts.”
He called for intensified measures over the next six years to bridge the gap and prevent further loss of lives.
Ghana’s maternal mortality ratio, he noted, has been declining from 760 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 310 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017.
However, “the country still faces significant challenges in reducing maternal mortality, particularly in regions like Ashanti.”
To address the issue, he said, Ghana has been working to improve maternal healthcare through various initiatives, including the Network for Improving Quality of Care for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.
The country aims to reduce maternal mortality by strengthening healthcare systems, improving access to quality care, and enhancing community engagement
From Kingsley E. Hope,
Kumasi
