By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu, GNA
Bolgatanga, Aug. 15, GNA – Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Director-General (DG) of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has handed over two new Toyota pick-up vehicles to the Garu and Binduri Districts to enhance healthcare service delivery.
The vehicles are part of 20 pick-ups procured under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).
At a brief ceremony to hand over the vehicles, Dr Akoriyea said the volatile nature of the Bawku enclave made it necessary for the Service to provide staff with appropriate and reliable means of transportation to enable them to continue delivering quality healthcare services.
“We have realised that there is a ban on the use of motorbikes, and it is our duty to protect our staff and provide them with the best we can,” the DG said.
He explained that under the EPI, each region was allocated a pick-up vehicle; however, owing to the volatile nature of the Bawku enclave, the Upper East Region received two vehicles to support the beneficiary districts located within the conflict zone.
“We believe that the districts deserve it,” he said.
Dr Akoriyea urged the management of the Service in the region to ensure that the vehicles were properly maintained and used for their intended purpose.
As part of measures to motivate health workers to stay in the Bawku enclave and continue to provide essential services, the DG said the GHS would prioritize their welfare and career development.
“We will guarantee and ensure their promotions and study leave quickly, so that they will know that their sacrifices and efforts are appreciated,” he said.
The DG added that the Service would provide the necessary support to enable staff to stay and effectively deliver healthcare to the people.
Dr Akoriyea acknowledged the resilience of health professionals who chose to remain in the volatile area and commended them for their commitment and patriotism.
He further appealed to Members of Parliament from the area to support health workers with accommodation and other incentives to encourage them to stay and work.
Dr Thomas Winsum Anabah, the Member of Parliament for the Garu Constituency, who witnessed the handing over meeting, expressed appreciation to the DG and management of the GHS for the vehicles.
He pledged his continuous support to the GHS in his constituency to improve healthcare delivery. “In my annual MP’s Common Fund, I indicated that I would use part of it for awards to motivate staff,” he said.
Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, the Upper East Regional Director of the GHS, who received the vehicles on behalf of the beneficiary districts, expressed gratitude to the DG and assured him that management would ensure the vehicles were properly maintained and used for their intended purpose.
“We are very happy that, at least, we have received two new pick-up vehicles for two districts out of the 15 districts,” he said.
The Regional Director noted that the region had previously benefited from the provision of motorbikes, adding that the new vehicles would further strengthen healthcare delivery in the beneficiary districts.
Dr Abubakari further appealed to the DG for additional vehicles to support other districts that currently operated without vehicles, while some others relied on old vehicles that frequently broke down.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]