Catholic Relief Services presents equipment to GHS

The Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has presented medical equipment to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Upper East Region for distribution to three districts, to help reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in the beneficiary districts.

The equipment, which was provided under the CRS Rural Emergency Health Service and Transport Project (REST) being undertaken at a cost of $2 million, is to be given to the Talensi, Nabdam and Kassena Nankana West districts to support healthcare delivery, particularly for pregnant women and children in remote parts of the beneficiary districts.

The equipment included 24 motor tricycles, six motorbikes, drip stands, digital thermometers, paediatric scales,delivery kits, delivery beds, anti-shock garments, torchlights, wellington boots and Nokia mobile phones, loaded with GH¢13,000 worth of units to last during the execution of the project.

Presentation

Presenting the items at a short ceremony in Bolgatanga, the Project Co-ordinator of REST, Mr Andrew Saibu, explained that the motor tricycles were to be used to help transport women in labour or have complications during pregnancy quickly to health centres for safe delivery and treatment.

He said each of the motor tricycles had been equipped with mobile phones to communicate with health personnel while transporting pregnant women to the health centres.

According to him, the intervention was also to encourage traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in the beneficiary districts to quickly help transport pregnant women to the hospital for safe delivery.

Gratitude

The Upper East Regional Deputy Director of Administration at the GHS, Mr Peter Boateng, expressed gratitude to the CRS for the support and acknowledged the organisation's support to the health sector in the region over the years.

He assured the CRS that the necessary structures would be put in place to help maintain the facilities to enable the beneficiaries to derive the maximum benefits from the intervention.

The Kassena Nankana West District Director of Health Services, Madam Mary Adapes, noted that with the support, the "hard-to-reach communities in the beneficiary districts will get the needed support".

According to her, a lot of sensitisation had gone on in the beneficiary communities to encourage the communities to own the project as a way of sustaining it.

A traditional birth attendant in the Talensi District, Madam Paulina Aditiba, stated that the intervention had come at the right time, adding:

"In the past, we used to get snake bites as we go to assist pregnant women to deliver safely, but with the motor tricycles and the wellington boots I do not think we have a problem again."