By Mohammed Balu
Tumu (UWR), March 14, GNA – Mr Clifford Vengkungmini, the Sissalla East Municipal Director of Health Services, has expressed concern about the absence of a dedicated transformer in the Tumu hospital for enhanced healthcare delivery.
He said it was hurting that the hospital’s meager resources were always being used to repair equipment due to frequent breakdown from power outages.
Mr Vengkumwini expressed the concern in Tumu during the Annual Performance Review of the health sector in the area.
“The hospital experiences low voltage and frequent power outages, resulting in the frequent breakdown of medical equipment,” he explained.
He said the authorities needed to provide a dedicated transformer to the hospital to stabilize the power situation.
The other challenges included the absence of accommodation and vehicle for the medical doctor of the recently opened Wellembelle Polyclinic.
“The Medical Doctor is currently housed in someone’s private single room and uses public transport on official duties from wellembelle to Tumu and Wa. We appeal to the authorities to help reverse the situation,” he said.
He said over 50 per cent of Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds operated without potable water while close to ten CHPS compounds were not connected to the national grid, affecting service delivery in areas of vaccine storage.
Also, there is no network connectivity in about 20 health facilities.
The programme was on the theme: “Improving Health System Financing and Support; Critical to Effective Health Service Delivery.”
Mr Vengkumwini observed that the Sissala East health administration was under the highly performing zone of the 2022 Holistic Assessment recently conducted.
He noted that only 18 indicators, representing 19.6 per cent, were in the average score zone, implying that the management ensured sustained performance in these 18 indicators.
He said skilled deliveries’ performance stood at 92.7 per cent as against a national target of 65 per cent.
On immunization coverages, Mr Vengkumwini said the Sissala East was outstanding as the area recorded above the national targets except for Measles, Rota, and OPV due to shortages of these vaccines during the period under review.
“It’s worth mentioning that there is increased geographical access to service delivery, which made the team achieve 100 per cent CHPS functionality, done after we demarcated 52 CHPS zones to be made operational and by the end of the last quarter of 2022, all the 52 were made functional,” he said.
Despite the difficulties, the Municipality identified some of the key priorities for the year 2023, including plans to improve reproductive and clinical care services, address neonatal and stillbirths and Improve data utilization for decision-making at all levels.
Kuoro Ahmed Hor, Chinchang kuoro, who chaired the meeting, said the lives of all Ghanaians depended on the health staff and expressed hope that the conference would address the recent heat wave being experienced in the Upper West region and offer the needed advice to the people.
GNA