Japan
boosts healthcare delivery in Keta Municipality
By Mohammed Awal
The government of Japan,
under the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects
(GGHSP) scheme has provided an amount of $121,914 for the construction of
Community-Based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compound for Agortoe CHPS
zone in Keta Municipal Assemby in the Volta Region.
The Agortoe CHPS zone
comprises of nine settlements in the catchment area, namely Agbatsivi, Kpordui,
Hadota, Salo, Sokutime, Sodzi, Vorvornukope, Aflanto and Sukladzi.
The project consists of
the construction of a clinic block, nurses’ quarters and procurement of medical
equipment and furniture. And it was estimated to benefit not less than 3,500
inhabitants in the Agortoe CHPS zone.
The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Mr. Naoto Nikai told
the media at a signing ceremony for grant assistance between GGHSP and the Keta
Municipal Assembly in Accra Tuesday that when completed the CHPS compound would
bring basic health care service delivery to the door steps of the people in the
area.
The inhabitants of the area commute several kilometers to other
health stations just to seek health care, according to him.
The problem he said intensifies during the raining seasons
when feeder roads were being rendered unmotorable for residents seeking medical
care.
“Unfortunately, patients who are not able to commute to
health facility face serious health implications which tend fatal”, the
Ambassador lamented.
His government, he said, would do all it could to revert
these phenomena, promising: “The government of Japan is more than willing to be
able to extend its assistance to improve the health profile of the Agortoe community
and its surroundings”.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), of the Keta Municipal
Assembly, Sylvester Edah Tornyeavah congratulated the Japanese government for
its gesture noting that the gesture would undoubtedly go a long way in easing
pressure on the already stressed limited health outlet in the municipality.
“There is a remarkable deficit in health centers within the
municipality. In juxtaposing with the total population, the number of
recognized quality health centers is not woefully discouraging.
“The construction of the CHPS compound within the
municipality is, therefore, a great opportunity for people within the community
and beyond to have access to quality health care without having to traverse
long distances,” he noted.
