Tema, May 21, GNA – The Community-based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compound’s porch at Kpotame in Tema Manhean has been illegally transformed into a relaxation base by some residents causing nuisance to nurses and patients during working hours.
The residents invade the CHPS Compound, comfortably play games including cards, and draft at the porch and not even the presence of the nurse working inside or patients visiting the facility deter them from “engaging in the unhealthy practice” at the place.
The Ghana News Agency at Tema during a visit to the facility gathered that the nuisance act was being undertaken by both the adult and the young ones alike.
It was observed that: “men, women, and children usually carry their mattresses, mat, and cloths to the place and lay it to relax on, while others engaged in playing games against the advice of the Community Health Officers who man the facility”.
GNA during a monitoring operation on May 19th 2021, at about 11:45 hours, met scores of residents relaxing at the place even though the facility was opened for operations.
Madam Katrina Kwao, Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) at the Tema Manhean Polyclinic, which has administrative jurisdiction over the Kpotame CHPS compound when contacted said “the first time I saw these people sleeping there, I was shocked because I have never seen such a thing in my many years of being a nurse”.
Madam Kwao added that it had come to their notice that the community members used the compound as a community event park for their funerals and other programmes without seeking permission from authorities.
She noted that they have removed every bulb the nurses fixed in front of the facility making the place insecure and they have also removed some portions of the plastic T&J ceiling where they illegally tapped into their light and use it for their events.
The DDNS, therefore, called on the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), institutions and individuals to help them fence the premises to prevent such residents from taking over, adding that, they also needed an inscription indicating that the facility was a CHPS compound.
She further complained about the siting of a 10-seater public toilet very close to the facility, saying, it must be relooked at as the stench emanating from it would make it difficult for health officials and clients to use the health centre.
The GNA observed that the Kpotame CPHS compound which was commissioned on October 30, 2015, by the then Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive needed some renovations as the paintings had worn out and parts of the ceiling removed among other things.
GNA