The chief and the people of Yarigabisi in the Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region of Ghana celebrated the Akai-Zenga festival over the weekend. Themed “Peace and Unity for Development,” the event aimed to mobilize resources to promote maternal health by constructing a maternity ward for Yarigabisi and its neighboring communities.
Naba Patrick Ayimbila Asaliya emphasized that the community initiated this fundraising effort to address the lack of access to maternal healthcare, a challenge that is both national and global. According to data from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 5, achieving optimal maternal health by 2030 requires local-level interventions, with the support of local and traditional leaders. The World Bank (2020) reported that 223 out of every 100,000 pregnant women die globally each year, while in Ghana, approximately 8 out of every 100 pregnant women face similar outcomes, largely due to the inaccessibility of maternity wards in remote areas.
“This festival, called Akai-Zenga, focuses on promoting maternal health through the construction of a maternity ward for the people of Yarigabisi and surrounding areas. Maternal health is a pressing issue globally, nationally, and locally,” noted Naba Patrick Ayimbila Asaliya. He highlighted the importance of local efforts in combatting this challenge, urging community members to contribute to the construction of a maternity facility for effective healthcare delivery.
The festival was attended by Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East, and Dr. Nadia Adongo Fynn, Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President of Ghana. Dr. Ayine pledged support for the maternity block project, promising 200 bags of cement and covering the cost of 5,000 Ghana cedis for architectural plans and designs. Dr. Fynn also committed to contributing 10,000 Ghana cedis to facilitate the construction of the maternity block.
Source: mywordfmonline.com/ Gaspard Ayuureneeya
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