Inadequate supply of anti-snake and anti-rabies vaccines is a major challenge facing health facilities in Techiman leading to the untimely death of victims of snake and dog bites.
Management of the Catholic Diocese of Techiman Health facilities in the Brong Ahafo Region made this known at the Diocesan's hospitals' first year performance review meeting at Nkoranza at the weekend.
Organised by the authorities of the diocese, the meeting was attended by managements of St. Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza, Abease Health Centre, Holy Family Hospital in Techiman and St. Mathias Hospital at Yeji.
The Reverend Father Dr John Kofi Takyi, Vicar General of the Diocese, explained that it had been difficult to obtain adequate quantities of the vaccines from Brong-Ahafo Regional Medical Depot at Kintampo and called on the Ministry of Health to address the problem.
He urged doctors and nurses to show love and compassion to patients adding; "Your work is not just a job for salaries but rather a call from God
to heal the sick as Jesus Christ the Saviour did for mankind".
Rev. Fr. Takyi disclosed that the diocese was working seriously with the Ministry of Health and the Christian Health Association to post more
doctors to the health facilities.
He expressed gratitude to foreign donor agencies like CORDAID of Holland and MISENIOR of Germany for supporting the health facilities.
Mr Barnabas Yeboah, Diocesan Health Service Director, said the meeting was aimed at exchanging ideas to improve their performance as service providers and initiate strategies to address challenges that faced the workers.
He stressed the need for the workers to offer quality health care services to their clients to encourage them to patronize the health
facilities.
Mr Yeboah commended the traditional authorities and the district assemblies for supporting the growth of the facilities.
Rev. Sister Theresa Afia Bartholomew, Administrator of St. Theresa's Hospital, described the review meeting as unique as it offered the managements to inform the authorities of their problems for solution and improvement.
Nana Okofo Agyapong III, Adontenhene of Nkoranza, who presided, expressed concern that malaria was a major disease that had claimed the
lives of many children and appealed to the health workers to initiate measures to control it.