Issah Alhassan
4 August 2008
Domase-Ash — The Management and staff of the Tano-Odumase Anglican Health Centre, in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, have launched a passionate appeal to the government, philanthropists, and other corporate bodies, to come to their aid, to enable them provide quality service to their numerous clients.
The health centre has seen little or no renovation at all, since its establishment some twelve years ago, by the Canadian High Commission, under the supervision of the Anglican Diocese of Kumasi.
With a permanent staff strength of six, with nine National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) recruits, made up of a medical assistant, a pharmacist, two ward assistants and a laboratory technician, workers at the health centre can hardly bear the intense pressure mounted on them, by the numerous patients who flock the health centre, in the face of the lack of logistics, infrastructure and other medical equipment.
Being the second biggest health facility, apart from the Government Hospital located at Nyinahin, the district capital, the geographical location of the facility, which shares a boundary on the south with the Western Region, and the Brong Ahafo Region on the North, it is often most convenient for people in the two regions to visit the facility, a situation which puts the staff under 24 hours of intense pressure.
The health centre has no electricity, no ambulance, or any other means of transport, to deal with emergency cases, and the source of power - a generator, is more a white elephant as of now, because they cannot find the money for fuel to run it.
The Chief Pharmacist at the health centre, Mr. Bruce Smith, told Ashanti File in an interview, that the centre often encountered difficulties with their medical supplies, because health insurance bills were not regularly paid.
He said currently, the hospital owed its drug suppliers, to the tune of about GH¢7,900, being arrears from the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mr. Smith, who is also the Diocesan Health Co-ordinator, however commended the chief of the community, for providing temporary accommodation for the staff of the health centre.
He as well, expressed gratitude to the Atwima Mponua District Assembly, for the construction of a semi-detached nurse's bungalow for the centre.
He stated that because the facility was a missionary one, the centre relied only on the occasional assistance from the Diocese, which he said, was highly inadequate.
The Chairman of the Anglican Diocesan Health Committee, Dr. Edward Prempeh, also underscored the need for the corporate society, to assist health centres in remote areas, since they offered crucial services to their communities.
The Chief Midwifery of the health centre, Mrs. Grace Kyeremeh, stated that the most common cases reported at the centre, include Malaria, Diarrhoea and skin rash, adding that pregnant cases were also often reported.
She said there were no incentives to motivate the staff, especially the NYEP recruits, who were operating out of sheer commitment and dedication.
Meanwhile, the Diocesan Guild of the St. Mary Anglican Diocese of Kumasi has presented hospital items worth over GH¢400 to the health centre.
The items, made up of blankets, pillows, bedspreads, antiseptics, cups and wheelchairs, formed part of the guild's biennial outreach programme, which is aimed at assisting orphanages, prisons and health facilities.
The National past President of the Guild, Mrs. Gladys Abaidoo, who spoke on behalf of the Women's Guild, expressed optimism that the items would go a long way to facilitate provision of quality healthcare in the area.
The items were received on behalf of the hospital, by the Chief Midwife, Mrs. Grace Kyeremeh, and the Diocesan Health Coordinator, Mr. Bruce Smith.
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