Health News of Thursday, 20 May 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2021-05-20Regional Report: Akyem Adubiase Chief’s palace turns health center as abandoned facility rots
The facility was started in 2009
Correspondence from Eastern Region:
The chief of Akyem Adubiase, Nana Owusu Agyekum III said the uncompleted community clinic has been abandoned for 12 years.
He revealed that abandoned health center was started in 2009 by the Atta Mills government.
The chiefs and people of Akyem Adubiase in the Eastern Region would have no option but continue to
Read full articlerely on a space provided in the Palace by the chief of the area to serve as a health center, at least, until the completion of an abandoned health facility in the area.
The health center begun some twelve years ago to provide basic health care for members of the community appears to be abandoned with no visible progress towards its completion to serve its purpose.
The situation, residents say, has compelled complete their over twelve (12) years.
Speaking to GhanaWeb, the chief of Akyem Adubiase, Nana Owusu Agyekum III revealed that most pregnant women have died in his community due to the abandoned health center which was started in 2009 by the Atta Mills government.
He said following the abandonment of the project, contract was re-warded in 2015 for the completion of which again failed to materialize.
“The government in 2015 re-awarded contract for the construction of the clinic but the contractor after sometime, abandoned the project. The community therefore resorted to the use of the palace as a clinic which traditionally speaking is wrong but we don’t have a choice,” he said, adding that the situation is not conducive for the health personnel.
As part of efforts to complete the facility, the community through its self-help spirit and through monetary contributions, have roofed the building and is currently putting up nurses’ quarters which has also stalled owing to financial difficulties.
“We are also trying to put up a nurses quarters for them so we are pleading with government to come on board and assist us…two toilet projects have also stalled with the contractors nowhere to be seen,” lamented the chief.
The people are thus appealing to government to assist the community complete the health center for the community.
Assembly member for Akyem Adubiase electoral area, Solomon Agyei Baafi in an interview with GhanaWeb said his predecessor and himself have tried several means to get the work done but to no avail.
He therefore pleaded with President Akufo-Addo to come to their aid by providing other social amenities such as toilet facilities, jobs for the youths and electricity extension across Akyem Adubiase community.
“Our problem is the facility that has been abandoned for the past twelve years. Secondly, our community is also extending and we have also written several letters to the district assembly for the extension of electricity supply to those communities but nothing has been done about it. Our children who are also out of school with good results are also unemployed. We also do not have a public toilet in this community and this is a difficult problem for us,” said the Assemblyman.
Some of the people in Akyem Adubiase who also spoke with GhanaWeb lamented about the effects of the absence of a health center in the community and appealed to call to complete the abandoned project.
A woman, Yaa Mansah narrated how her sister died due to birth complications due to the absence of a health facility in the community.
The chiefs and people are thus calling on His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to help an abandoned health center to rescue pregnant women in their community.
