By Kekeli K. Blamey
Sogakope (V/R), Sept. 12, GNA – Ms Victoria Dzeko, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for South Tongu, has called for greater emphasis on preventive healthcare among women, particularly market traders, as the district seeks to improve access to basic healthcare services.
She said bringing primary healthcare services directly to commercial centres would help address one of the major barriers to healthcare access, especially for women whose demanding business and family responsibilities often made it difficult to seek timely medical attention.
Ms Dzeklo made the call at the commissioning of the Sogakope Market Free Primary Healthcare Post, a facility established to provide free basic healthcare services, consultations, routine screening and emergency triage to traders and residents within the market and surrounding communities.
Addressing market women and leaders from the Sogakope and Dabala markets, she said the facility represented an important step towards decentralising healthcare delivery and ensuring that preventive services were brought closer to the people.
She urged women to take advantage of the facility and develop the habit of undertaking regular health checks, noting that early detection and prompt treatment could significantly reduce complications associated with delayed medical attention.
“Our women spend long hours managing businesses, supporting their families and contributing significantly to the local economy, often neglecting their own health in the process,” she said.
Ms Dzeklo said the availability of the facility within the market should encourage traders to seek medical advice promptly whenever they experienced health concerns, rather than waiting until their conditions became severe.
She further stressed the need for sustained collaboration between the South Tongu District Assembly and the District Health Directorate to strengthen preventive healthcare and expand access to basic medical services across the district.
The DCE said the Assembly remained committed to supporting initiatives that brought essential health services closer to residents, particularly vulnerable groups and people whose livelihoods made regular visits to conventional health facilities difficult.
She said improved access to preventive healthcare would not only promote healthier communities but also help protect household incomes and sustain productivity within the district.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah /Kenneth Odeng Adade