USAID delegation inspects health projects

Kerry Pelzman, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Global Health, has visited Ghana to inspect some projects being sponsored by the American people.

He was accompanied by Aye Aye Thwin, USAID Global Health Bureau Senior Advisor and LaTrisha Chappin, USAID Africa Bureau West Africa Coastal Team Leader.

A statement issued by the American Embassy in Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency said during the visit they met the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to discuss on-going US-Ghana health sector programmes, including; collaborative efforts to advance Ghana’s vision for universal health coverage and sustainable health financing.

The statement said the delegation visited health facilities and water, sanitation, and hygiene projects in the Northern Region sponsored by Americans through the USAID and met the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) in Tamale.

They also inspected a new Community-based Planning and Services (CHPS) compound at Warriyi in the Mion District of the Northern Region that was constructed with USAID support, and inaugurated in January 2018.

The statement said since 2014, the USAID had supported the construction of 26 fully equipped CHPS compounds across the Northern and Volta Regions, and the renovation of 50 health facilities.

It said the delegation met the Kpabia Water and Sanitation Management Committee to discuss community water resource management and visited a recently installed Digni-Loo, an affordable and durable latrine.

In Kpabia, the USAID constructed a latrine for the health facility and a piped water source for the school and helped to install donated Digni-Loos for the elderly and disabled members of their community, to help improve their lives, the statement said.

It said before the delegation left Tamale, they met the members of the NRCC to discuss the USAID supported Northern Region Management Information System, a digital platform that collects and analyses sectoral data to inform district planning and decision-making.

“They also discussed the US government’s direct support through USAID to 17 district governments to improve nutrition and food security and to establish Village Savings and Loans Associations, which enabled community members to save resources and invest in the health and education of their families and income-generating opportunities.

Since 2014, 96,000 women in Northern Ghana saved USD$7.8 million through these Associations,” the statement said.

It said the delegation underscored the United States of America’s commitment to partner Ghana to promote development in several key sectors to enhance the lives of Ghanaians.