Residents of the Lungu Community, a suburb in the Bongo District of Ghana’s Upper East Region, have appealed to the Bongo District Health Directorate to upgrade the Lungu Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compound into a Health Centre.
Speaking to the media, Mr.John Awine Ayamga, the Assembly Member for the Lungu Electoral Area, said the community has demonstrated strong commitment and support toward developing the CHPS Compound.
He explained that with the resources already mobilized, the upgraded facility would be able to manage serious minor health conditions not only for residents of Lungu, but also for surrounding communities.
Mr. Ayamga noted that the community is currently appealing for support to change the CHPS Compound’s status to that of a Health Centre so that people no longer need to travel long distances for treatment of recurring illnesses.He also shared some of the efforts made by the youth and unit committees to improve the CHPS facility.
According to him, the youth committee has been capturing stray animals, making public announcements, and then auctioning them to raise funds.
He said these efforts have helped finance fixing the CHPS compound frontage and improvements to ensure animals do not enter the compound and make it dirty.He further stated that trees have been planted around the facility, and water mesh materials were purchased to fence the area.
Mr. Ayamga emphasized that these actions are part of the community’s support toward improving healthcare services.
However, Mr. Cletus Avila Asiraboya, Chairman of the Bongo Lungu, explained that the people of Bongo Lungu, through strong unity and a shared vision, have mobilized funds and logistics to support the CHPS Compound.
He said the CHPS Compound now has enough materials to operate effectively, but the community is still appealing to the government to support the next phase upgrading the facility further so that quality healthcare can continue to be delivered to the people of Lungu and beyond.
Mr. Donatus Agale, a nurse in charge of the Lungu CHPS Compound, said the support from the Lungu community has made the facility more resourceful and able to handle many health issues faced by residents.He added that even while working at the Bongo District Hospital, he did not receive some of the logistics that the Lungu youth have donated to the CHPS facility.
He described the CHPS Compound as operating like a large facility because it is equipped with better support than many people expect from a CHPS level facility.Mr. Agale appealed to the Bongo District Health Directorate to upgrade the CHPS Compound to a Health Centre so it can better manage illnesses within the community and improve living conditions.
He noted that when some of the logistics donated by the youth were unavailable, it felt like working without tools, despite the training healthcare workers receive in school. He explained that the CHPS Compound currently has about ten modern beds, a number he said even many health centres may not have.
Mr. Agale further appealed to the Lungu youth to continue supporting the facility with additional equipment particularly quarters and a laboratory to support the upgrading process and ensure smooth delivery of quality healthcare services.
Source:mywordfmonline.com/Gaspard Adongo Ayuureneeya.