By Godfred A. Polkuu
Garu (U/E), April 16, GNA – The Union of Professional Nurses and Midwives Ghana, (UPNMG), has presented three oxygen cylinders to the Presbyterian Health Centre in the Garu District of the Upper East Region.
The cylinders, valued about GHȻ6,400.00, were to help improve emergency health care service in the facility.
Mr Apandago Mahamadu Musah, the Upper East Regional President of the Union, at a ceremony to handover the equipment on behalf the National President, Mr Maxwell Oduro Yeboah, said apart from the welfare of members, quality healthcare was of concern to the Union.
He said even though leadership of the UPNMG had identified the lack of some basic medical equipment across health facilities in the region during its annual tour of health facilities to interact with members, the gesture was a response to a request by management of the Centre.
“UPNMG as a responsible labour Union does not only care about its members’ welfare, but it also works to ensure that its members deliver service under safe and conducive environments, which promotes patient care and speedy recovery,” he said.
He recognised the role of the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) in healthcare delivery, saying CHAG’s contributions could not be underestimated.
“We are happy to indicate without any uncertainty that, our engagement with CHAG has been deepened in the last few years. We will continue to engage with the CHAG because it is an important stakeholder and partner, with valuable input in the development process.”
Mr Musah mentioned the various schemes and policies the Union continued to implement to the benefit of its members, and cited the loans, land and housing schemes, the mart initiative, scholarship programmes and other souvenirs members benefitted.
“These among others are all directed towards mitigating the plight of the poor and vulnerable Ghanaian nurses and midwives. These initiatives are generating a positive impact in the lives of many Ghanaian nurses and midwives, and other health professionals,” he said.
Mr Musah said the UPNMG would continue to work to improve the livelihoods of members and bridge the welfare gap between the European nurse and a Ghanaian nurse, “We must join our efforts at all levels to tackle the tyranny of poverty in our profession,” he added.
Reverend Josiah Kweku Omor, the Administrator of the facility who received the cylinders, thanked leadership of the Union for the support.
He said the facility was a referral Centre for the District, and described the support from the Union as timely, and further called for more support to enable them to continue to deliver quality healthcare services to residents.
“We wish to ask for more. Our challenges are many in view of our status as a referral Centre, which must meet the health needs of the teeming clients who patronize our services, due to the calibre of skilled staff we have.
“In fact, the 2022 Upper East Best Practicing Midwife is from this Health Centre,” the Administrator said.
GNA