By Laudia Sawer, GNA
Tema, Dec. 03, GNA – The Community-based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compound at Kpotame in Tema Manhean, in the Tema Metropolis, has been shut down for almost two years.
The shutdown was necessitated by persistent attacks on health officials running the compound by some miscreants in the community.
Prior to the shutdown, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) reported in 2021 on how residents had turned the frontage of the facility into a relaxation area, 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 deterred them.
Ms Keren-Happuch Monney, a Public Health Nurse in-charge at the Manhean Polyclinic, confirming the shutdown to the GNA, said management of the polyclinic took the decision to shut down the compound after several attacks on the nurses by some community members.
Ms Monney added that the attackers often took the nurses’ phones and other personal items from them, noting that they feared the attacks could escalate into something more dangerous.
She indicated that several reports on the issue to authorities, as well as the need to renovate the place and provide a gate and security, did not yield any result.
She acknowledged that even though the shutdown has some health implications in the area, such as defaulting in reproductive and childcare, the safety of health providers and clients is very paramount.
Mr Joshua Agudah, the Assemblyman for the Dade Agbo electoral area, observed that the shutdown had really affected residents, however, the U-Compound CHPS compound was serving as an alternative for health care for the people.
He said a contract had been awarded for the renovation of the facility, expressing the hope that work would soon commence.
The Kpotame CPHS compound was commissioned on October 30, 2015, by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA).
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo