By Erica Apeatua Addo
Akoon (W/R), March 1, GNA- Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) has donated medical and office equipment worth half a million Ghana cedis, to the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Ghana Police Service and the National Bureau of Investigations.
The items would be of immense benefit to the Aboso Health Centre maternity ward, and the laboratory unit of the Huni-Valley Health Centre, and provide comfort for the security services in the area to effectively discharge their duties.
The Huni-Valley Health Centre laboratory unit was renovated by the Chief of the Bosomtwe Divisional Area, Nana Kwabena Amponsah IV, with the Foundation providing the equipment to deliver vital medical services to patients.
The items included a suction machine for the resuscitation of babies, a delivery bed, a fetal doppler, an ultrasound scan machine, oxygen with oxygen cylinder, a baby and adult weighing scale, a ward screen, blood pressure apparatus and laboratory glassware set.
The rest are a blood roller mixer, laboratory refrigerator, test tube, blood lancet, alcohol, hand examination gloves, needles and syringes, swivel chairs, television set, air conditioner, executive office desk, desktop computer and a Canon copier.
Mr Abdel-Razak Yakubu, the Executive Secretary, GFGF, who led the presentation at the Akoon clubhouse, said they received requests from state institutions on a regular basis and usually assisted them because their contributions were immense to the development of the communities in which the Mine operated.
“In 2023, Gold Fields conducted a study to identify a programme that the company can sponsor through its Foundation to leave a legacy at the end of life of the Mine, and this is what we have christened as the Gold Fields Legacy Programme,” he said.
He said the study recommended that they implement a health intervention programme that would make Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Municipalities the hub for medical excellence in Ghana.
Mr Yakubu said what was born out of the study was the Expanded Access to Quality Health Care programme, and the scope included construction of an Accident and Emergency Centre for the Apinto Government Hospital, renovation of the Outpatient Department and other facilities.
Provision of critical medical equipment to community health facilities, training and capacity building of health staff, and expansion of free medical outreach programmes were among other benefits of the host communities, he said.
He pleaded with the beneficiary institutions to ensure a regular maintenance culture of the equipment to achieve optimum benefit and full lifespan.
The Prestea Huni-Valley Municipal Health Director, Mr Timothy Kobina Ofori, who received the items, thanked the GFGF, saying the assistance would contribute largely to quality service delivery within these facilities.
He gave the assurance that the items would be maintained on a regular basis and entreated other institutions and individuals to emulate the GFGF.
GNA