20 communities in Ashanti to benefit from “Health 2 Go” project

By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA

Fufuo (Ash), April 27, GNA – “Health 2 Go”, a programme that delivers healthcare systems to the doorsteps of communities in hard to reach areas has been launched at Fufuo, a farming community in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District.

The project which seeks to treat childhood illnesses and provide antenatal services to pregnant women would be implemented in 20 selected communities with about 20,000 people expected to benefit free of charge.

Under the project, 30 Community Based Agents (CBAs) have been trained to assess basic illnesses, promote health education to families and connect complicated cases to health facilities.

They are also provided with bicycles and basic drugs and equipment to embark on home visits to treat children between the ages of two months and five years.

The project is being implemented by the Ensign College of Public Health with support from the University of Utah, Cast-a-Pebble Foundation, Ghana Health Service, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Medical Science and the Research and Development Office of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Speaking at the launch of the project, Dr. Stephen Manortey, Country Director of the project said the primary focus of the project would be on the treatment of malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.

He said the project was initially piloted in six communities in the Manya Krobo Municipality in 2016 where approximately 1,500 residents were currently being served.     

The project, he noted, was extended to the Ashanti Region based on the successes chalked in the Eastern Region, adding that it would be guided by challenges encountered previously to improve on service delivery.

Dr. Manortey indicated that the vision of the project was to build the capacities of beneficiary communities to be healthy in line with the national strategy in improving overall health outcomes and support the country in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for child and maternal health.

Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health, applauded the initiative, saying that making healthcare accessible to children and pregnant women in remote communities was vital to the fight against infant and maternal mortality.

He entreated the communities to embrace the concept by availing themselves of the services of the CBAs to improve the health of children and women who were the most vulnerable.

Dr. Kingsley Osei Kwarkye, the District Director of Health Services, said the project was a stop gap measure to make healthcare accessible to the selected communities which had no health facilities and urged the residents to support the CBAs to perform.

Prof. Steve Alder, President of Ensign College of Public Health, noted that the project was designed to overcome common challenges of failed community health programmes by ensuring adequate training, proper supervision and active engagements with the communities.

GNA

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