The beneficiary communities are Tinsung and Warivi in the Mion district, and also Kunkong and Nkwanta in the Yendi municipality.

Additional 22 CHPS compounds funded by the USAID are at various stages of completion.

The initiative forms part of the United States government’s agenda to promote primary health care in deprived communities.

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson, inaugurated the projects at a colourful ceremony in the Mion district.

“This is part of the 26 CHPS compounds we will be delivering this year, and it underscores our commitment to community health.”

“We believe that these CHPS compounds and bringing health care to communities are very important for maternal and child health and so that is our focus,” Ambassador Jackson earlier told Citi News.

He said the strategy to deliver community level health service remained a key health system reform for Ghana’s health sector.

“The CHPS approach brings health services closer to your households, and allows you to make the most productive use of your time. You will no longer have to travel long distances to seek healthcare. Pregnant women in your communities will no longer have to take long, bumpy rides on a motor-king (tricycle) to the district hospital.”

The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang Manu, commended the US government for its humanitarian services to the citizens of Ghana.

He gave the assurance that the CHPS compounds would be sustained and that health personnel would be well catered for.

The Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, thanked the USAID for its unflinching support in diverse ways to the people of the area.

He particularly mentioned the health sector which he admitted that government alone could not solve its myriad challenges.

Salifu Saeed urged the chiefs and residents of the beneficiary communities to safeguard the compounds.

He further pleaded with them to motivate health personnel posted to their communities to diligently discharge their duties.

He commended the Mion District Assembly for donating a motorbike to one of the CHPS compounds.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to him, the project funded by the African Development Bank was supposed to be stocked with equipment by the Ministry of Health.

Mr. Fuseini said although government has stocked the facility, he has information that the facility is not operational because the equipment are not enough.

He said the facility was part of others that included classroom blocks, boreholes and pipe borne water extension along that stretch.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xDQ7jWng4m7toMVwAtONCf9pvGIjzp5K”]“We built schools, boreholes, extension of pipe borne water, we built the health centre at Ofankor and we did accident and emergency centre at Amasaman. The project was funded by the African Development Bank and the government of Ghana was supposed to equip those facilities. So we finished and the project was handed over. It was finished some few months before the 2016 election.”

“The Ministry of Health was contacted, I understand they’ve provided some equipment, but the equipment is not enough to operationalize the hospital, and that is why it is under lock and key.  The health authorities are of the view that the equipment are not enough to be operational as a health post,” he added in an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday.

When asked why the African Development bank did not offer to stock the facility, Mr. Fuseini said they took that action to enable the Ghana government take ownership of the project.

“These are development partners who fund certain aspects and they want responsibilities. So you are not going to get a development partner who will fund every aspect of a project because they also want ownership and responsibility. We were supposed to stock the facility so that we could own the project,” he added.

Despite the completion of the facility, residents of  Ofankor are compelled to seek healthcare in other areas.

The Ofankor health facility is part of numerous health facilities that although have been completed have not been functioning.

They include the CHPS compound at Tetegu and Teshie.

Other ones that have been reported by Citi FM are the $217 million University of Ghana Medical Centre, the Bank of  Ghana Hospital and the solar-powered medical centre at the Volo Digital Village in the Volta Region.

Click below to listen to Inusah Fuseini’s explanations on the Citi Breakfast Show:

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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According to the Member of Parliament for the area, Rockson Dafeamekpor, who spoke on the Citi Breakfast Show, they have about seven CHPS compounds, but about five of them are not operational due to lack of electricity and water.

“Within the past six years, we constructed about 7 of them. The difficulty is that, when these compounds are completed you need to extend electricity and water, but the cost of extending these utility services are not factored in the actual construction, and that is the challenge.”

“Now we are being levied a huge cost to extend electricity and water, and because of the inadequacy of funding from the Assembly, this is the challenge for the Assembly and we are making efforts to operationalize the facility at both Kpeve and Pekiwudome,” he added.

Abandoned health facilities

This comes on the back of Citi News’ consistent report on some completed but abandoned health projects scattered across the country.

They include abandoned CHPS compound at Ofankor, Tetegu, Teshie all in  Accra.

Other major ones that have been reported by Citi FM are the $217 million University of Ghana Medical Centre, the Bank of  Ghana Hospital and the solar-powered medical centre at the Volo Digital Village in the Volta Region.

Click below to listen to the South Dayi MP’s submission on the Citi Breakfast Show:

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post CHPS compounds abandoned over lack of electricity, water – MP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The CHPS compounds are to improve access to primary health care services at the community level to promote universal health coverage.

[contextly_sidebar id=”KLRLaxtDQqrqqNrhcRy2LepluNc0Sfv3″]An official statement issued by USAID said it had been working with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to improve accessibility, quality and use of health services, with a focus on maternal and child health and nutrition services.

Chiefs, assembly members and community members joined USAID/Ghana Mission’s Director Sharon L. Cromer; USAID/Ghana Health Office Director Akua Kwateng-Addo; Ketu South Municipal District Chief Executive, Edem Elliot Agbenorwu; Ghana Health Service Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division Dr. Koku Awoonor-Williams; at the event, the statement said.

Mr. Edward Kaba, the Volta Regional Health Directorate Deputy Director, Administration; KOICA Deputy Country Director Mr. Seungmin Oh; and USAID Systems for Health Chief of Party Marni Laverentz were also at the event.

Madam Sharon L. Cromer, the USAID-Ghana Mission Director, commended the community members for their contributions in making the CHPS compound a success, the statement said.

“Your community collaboration and investment is exemplary and clearly demonstrates the premium you place on your own health and wellbeing,” said Cromer.

She thanked the community health officers for their relentless work in serving their communities encouraged the community members to participate actively in the upkeep and maintenance of these compounds.

“It will help ensure that all systems and equipment continue to work so that everyone in your community can enjoy a good and healthy life,” she advised.

The ceremony was held at the CHPS compound in Lotakor, the statement said.

“The CHPS compounds were constructed in line with the standard guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Health and include a clinical unit, a residential unit with two separate one-bedroom apartments, an elevated water tank, a septic tank, placenta pit, incinerator, borehole and solar panels.

“The process of CHPS compound construction involves elaborate stakeholder consultations and reflects gender-sensitive and environmental guidelines.”

The CHPS compounds were constructed as part of the USAID-supported Systems for Health project, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service.

KOICA provided financial support for the construction of the Lotakor CHPS compound.

The statement said additional CHPS compounds were under construction in Northern and Volta regions, which are expected to be completed in 2018-2019.

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Source: GNA

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One out of the three rooms meant for Awaradone Primary and Junior High teachers now serve as a clinic for residents while they await a hospital from government.

Residents of Awaradone a suburb of Winkogo in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region have been forced to commute six kilometers to the Winkogo CHPS centre to access health care.

Residents of Awaradone have been using the teachers bungalow as their health centre since March 2013.

Residents told Citi News, government must come to their aid by constructing a CHPS compound for them.

“This is not a CHPS compound but a teachers quarters. If we enter the room, there are no chairs and beds here…so the government should build a CHPS center for us, ” a resident Paulina Adipipa appealed.

Another resident, Mrs. Agnes Akagri also said “we are suffering here, the health post lacks basic logistics and consumables to provide services. If one is seriously sick, you would be referred to Winkogo which is far from here so we want government to provide us with a CHPS compound.”

“It is a teachers quarters which has been converted into a CHPS centre and it is only one room. All health care services such as family planning, injections, weighing, immunization, antenatal services among others are done in one room and that is not the best so we are appealing to government to come to our aid,” another resident, Gaspard Adongo noted.

The Talensi District Director of Health Madam Evelyn Naaso disclosed that, out of 21 CHPS centers in the district, 12 of them were built with mud.

This, according to her is affecting service delivery. She therefore called on government, benevolent individuals and organizations to construct health centers for the affected communities.

The Talensi District Chief Executive Christopher Boatbil however believes a consultation with the district and regional directors of health will address the problem.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to them, although they were not in office, the Controller and Accountant General still deducted ten percent from their salary arrears but was not injected into the CHPS compound projects which warranted the cut.

Speaking to Citi News’ Franklin Badu Jnr, a former Presidential Staffer, Emelia Arthur demanded a refund of the monies.

[contextly_sidebar id=”9SAVO4eRfSU75eoVi2RKqVr2dWIhw9Zh”]“It has come to our attention that since we left office some back pay that was owed us, Controller and Accountant General disbursed the ten percent, lodged it with Bank of Ghana and between controller and Bank of Ghana we don’t know where that money is. Because we were no longer in office, it is our private money and not for the state any longer.”

She explained that a team of former appointees are currently liaising with the sectors involved for the monies to be returned to them.

“That money is with them, it is our private money and we want that money back. I am not sure of the amount. But what we have done is that a team of former appointees have come together and have been liaising with the Ministry of Finance, bank of Ghana, controller and Accountant general for the 10 percent of the arrears deducted to be returned to us,” she added.

Mahama 10% pay cut missing

Ms Arthur made the claim a day after member of the Public Accounts Committee and Member of Parliament for Nhyiaeso accused the former administration of not using due process in transferring the monies worth more than two million Ghana cedis meant for the construction of some CHPS compounds.

But the former appointee insisted that the followed due process and the 10 percent pay cut was used for the purpose to which it was intended.

“At the time we were leaving office, we had built 11 and started a twelfth one. And then we started a last one in Volta Region, Ho Zongo specifically. It was at the foundation stage when we left office. And because we weren’t going to be in office for further deductions to take place, it stopped at that.”

She said out of number six were fully completed, some of which were commissioned adding that “five were nearly done, because they are usable and habitable and left with were left with only some small touches.”

Emelia Arthur explained that as at the time they were leaving office, “all we need to finish everything was about GHc124, 000 to finish the other five of the 11 except Ho that was at foundation level.”

“We followed due process. Whenever the contractor raised a certificate it would go with the necessary attached memos through the process in the office of the president as is used by all MDAs per financial laws in this country. Once we were satisfied that the certificates that had being raised were justified the accountant in the Flagstaff House would sign a cheque in the name of the contractor and it will be given to the contractor who then will pay into his account and the office of the president will alert the Bank of Ghana that such a cheque with this amount has issued to this entity and the cheque will be honoured. All these are verifiable.”

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Gov’t withholding our 10% salary arrears – Mahama appointees appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is because a GHc320, 000 Community-Based Health Planning and Services popularly called CHPS compound inaugurated by the previous government about a year ago is not operational.

The facility has been left to rot while access to health care still remains a headache in the area.

Citi News’ Anass Seidu visited the area and filed the following report (Click below):

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post GHc 320,000 completed CHPS abandoned in Teshie [Report] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, these challenges have been compounded by government’s inadequate attention on the area.

Speaking at a Citizens Advisory Council Public Session in Takoradi, Nana Kwesi Agyemang explained that the Advisory Counsel’s recommendations from previous meetings on some of such problems “have been attended to; bridges have been repaired, some communities now have CHPS compounds, Ghana Gas is taking steps to address flooding in some its host communities, the problems facing the communities are enormous.

He explained that ” the exclusive zones in the sea keeps expanding which restricts fishing or pushes fishermen to go further to find fish. This in turns increases the cost of fishing expeditions. We worry about the increase in youth unemployment, the constant rise in the cost of living, rain floods in our communities as a result of inappropriate drains, our receding coast which is swallowing lands affected and affected many communities… “.

Nana Agyemang IX however asked the government companies to find lasting solutions to these problems “because even though Ghana is touted as a peace loving country, “the potential threat to security becomes real when people do not see changes in their lives in the midst of so much oil revenue.”

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The health workers, numbering about four, who man the facility say they have no option, but to vacate post in the night because the facility is not connected to the national grid making healthcare delivery impossible in the night.

The Nyonkoko CHPS center, which serves hundreds of residents was built around 2008 with a four room accommodation for staff, but the facility has not been connected to electricity.

A nurse who spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity, said the situation is having a dire impact on  health care.

“The situation is really affecting health care, deliveries come to this facility mostly in the night and there is no light and most of the pregnant women end up delivering in their homes.”

“We cannot even  store polio, BCG, Pneumococcal vaccines among others in a fridge because we don’t  have lights so we are unable to store these vaccines  and so at the end of it, these vaccines go bad, they lose their potency so we are not able to use them for the newborn and children that come for immunization.”

She added that, “We (nurses) are supposed to stay at this facility because we have accommodation here, but our quarters is not connected to electricity and we don’t also have solar panels,  so we end up going to our various homes.  So when community members come to the facility to access health care in the night, they don’t meet us,  sometimes even on weekends; and so we want government to connect the facility to electricity.”

Recently, a pregnant woman visited the facility in the night to deliver, “but because we don’t stay there, she went home to deliver and placenta was retained but the condition was later managed.”

The nurses quarters, which is in a bad state, has been turned into a venue for nocturnal activities in the night because only one out of the four rooms has a padlock.

Residents especially pregnant women seeking health care services in the night would have to commute about three kilometers to the Sherigu health center to be attended to.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The communities are Aduonya, Kwabena-Kumah and Adaiboriso.

It has also presented medical devices and equipment valued at GH¢ 50,000 to the District Directorate of Health to be distributed to health centres and clinics in the area.

[contextly_sidebar id=”036xQ5S8CtwG7Cv1R7qHVvsTtlVK9w1F”]The items comprise BP apparatus, thermometers, syringes, baby washers, wheel chairs, gloves, electronic surgery beds, and several devices.

Mr Solomon Boateng, a philanthropist and the Director of the Foundation, which operates an orphanage home, said good health and quality education are essential to nation building.

He said his NGO has constructed classroom blocks and renovated several other structures in different communities.

In addition, he said, many local communities have also benefited from mechanised boreholes.

Mr Boateng said very soon the NGO would construct modern disabled care centre at Nsoatre to provide skills training to people with disabilities in the area.

He appealed to the Nsoatre Traditional Council to provide the NGO with land for the project to begin.

Mrs Eva Aryee, the Sunyani West District Director of Health, receiving the items, thanked the Foundation for the gesture saying they would be used for the stated purpose.

She urged the public to promote environmental cleanliness to control the outbreak of communicable diseases.

Mrs Aryee also advised pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics at regular intervals and also sleep under mosquito treated nets.

Mr Martin Obeng, the Sunyani West District Chief Executive, appealed to the NGO to support the district in its effort to build a hospital.

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GNA

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