The items included delivery beds, maternity beds, autoclaves, neonatal resuscitation equipment, oxygen facilities, blood pressure monitors, newborn weighing scales, suction machines, delivery kits, essential medicines and other medical supplies.

The donation, made under Oxfam’s Power to Choose (P2C) project, is aimed at improving access to quality, respectful and inclusive healthcare services for adolescent girls, young women and other vulnerable groups.

The presentation formed part of Oxfam’s nearly GH¢1.5 million investment in medical equipment, medicines and health commodities for eight health facilities across the country to enhance maternal and reproductive healthcare services.

Mr Mohammed Mahamud, Accountable Governance Programme and Policy Manager at Oxfam in Ghana, said during the presentation in Tamale that the investment would improve the quality of healthcare delivery and contribute to better maternal and newborn health outcomes.

He said the donation reflected Oxfam’s commitment to ensuring that women, adolescent girls and young people had access to quality, respectful and inclusive sexual and reproductive health services.

“Access to healthcare is a matter of dignity and human rights. No young woman or girl should be denied health services or information because of her background or circumstances,” he said.

Mr Mahamud said the Power to Choose project was a seven-year initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada through Oxfam Quebec and implemented in Ghana, Honduras, Bolivia, Lebanon, Jordan, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said the project, which began in April 2021 and would end in early 2028, targeted young women, adolescent girls, young men and adolescent boys between the ages of 10 and 24 to improve the enjoyment of health-related human rights among vulnerable and marginalised young people.

Mr Mahamud said the project was supporting eight health facilities through partnerships with five Ghanaian civil society organisations: Norsaac, Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, SEND Ghana and Participatory Action for Rural Development Alternatives.

He said Oxfam was also collaborating with the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ghana and other stakeholders to promote inclusive, gender-responsive and accountable healthcare services.

Mr Mahamud said the project had built the capacity of 102 healthcare workers across the beneficiary facilities through training and mentorship in youth-friendly healthcare, emergency obstetric and neonatal care, family planning, gender-based violence response, respectful maternity care and inclusive service delivery.

He said the training had helped create safe spaces where young women and girls could seek healthcare without fear of stigma, discrimination or judgement, adding that the equipment would further strengthen service delivery.

Mr Mahamud expressed appreciation to the Government of Canada for funding the project and commended the Ghana Health Service, beneficiary health facilities and partner organisations, particularly Norsaac, for their collaboration.

He urged the management of the TaTU Hospital to ensure proper maintenance and effective utilisation of the equipment to guarantee long-term benefits.

Dr Chrysantus Kubio, Northern Regional Director of Health, who received the items on behalf of the hospital, described the donation as timely and said it would significantly improve maternal and newborn healthcare services and enhance the quality of care.

Mr Abdulai Imoro Gong, Sagnarigu Municipal Chief Executive, represented at the event, commended Oxfam and its partners for supporting efforts to bridge healthcare gaps in the municipality.

He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s healthcare system through the provision of modern medical equipment and other interventions to improve healthcare delivery.