By Kamal Ahmed
Akorwu Banah (E/R), Aug. 16, GNA – A completed national Community Health and Planning Service (CHPS) block, that could offer essential healthcare services to the inhabitants of Akorwu Banah in the Yilo-Krobo Municipality, has been abandoned for over five years.
The project was initiated under a social investment fund scheme launched by President John Dramani Mahama in 2015 but has been subjected to the vagaries of the weather ever since, a situation residents describe as “worrying.”
Mr Michael Tetteh Padi Ahusa, the Assemblyman for the Akorwu Banah electoral district, said that the CHPS compound was 95 per cent completed, with just a few more works needed for it to be opened for use.
He said due to the lack of health facilities, it was his motorcycle that presently served as an ambulance for the community, explaining that when someone becomes unwell, it was either himself e or his younger brother who must carry the sick person on the motorcycle.
He also complained about the deplorable nature of the roads linking to the nearby communities such as the Klo Agogo health clinic and Opesika CHPS compound.
Mr Ahusa said there had been instances where sick persons had died on their way to seek medical attention in other communities, and he called for support to operationalise the health facility in the community to save lives.
“I have reported this issue most of the time during Assembly meetings, but as of now nothing has been done about it,” he said, blaming the situation on ineptitude.
Ms Doris Teiko, a resident, indicated that sometimes people had to use their doors as stretchers to carry pregnant women in labour to Boti Falls Junction before getting a vehicle to the Klo Agogo Clinic.
“Sometimes they even give birth on their way because it is a bit far when walking, and pregnant women in labour lose their unborn child if they are transported on a motorcycle during labour,” she said.
Aside from this, she said, “Our road network is so poor that it has become another challenge that is affecting farming businesses in the area.”
Another native, Mr Emmanuel Tetteh, told GNA that the community was were mostly into vegetable farming, and due to the poor road network, no vehicle wanted to ply it, leading to huge loses.
He appealed to the government through the requisite authorities to come to the rescue of their community to save lives and boost economic activities, to retain the youth in agriculture.
GNA