The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo, on Thursday said the Community Health Programme Service (CHPS) concept, is aimed at
bringing quality health service delivery to the doorsteps of the citizenry and improving
partnerships with community leaders and social groups.
Mr. Woyongo was speaking at the commissioning of a GHC 9,300.00 CHPS compound at Nayagnia near Navrongo in the Kassena Nankana East District, Upper East Region.
Mr. Woyongo noted that the presence of CHPS compounds in the communities would reduce
incidents of infant and maternal deaths, and provide quality livelihood to the people.
He appealed to residents in the area to practice personal hygiene and good sanitation practices, so as to ward off diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, and worm
infestations. He advised the people to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits for the promotion of healthy life.
The Minister called on parents to be responsible for the needs of their children, as that would give them confidence and a sense of self worth.
He said that kind of responsibility would help the girls not to fall prey to irresponsible men who might lure them with money and other material possessions in exchange for immoral practice. It would also reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS, he added.
He further called on health workers in the community to be loving, patient and exercise caution when dealing with their clients, as their attitude towards the people would determine their patronage of the commissioned facility.
Dr. Koku Awornor-Williams, Regional Health Director, Upper East Region, noted that the CHPS
facility was to increase health care in the communities.
It is a concept whereby a house is built in the community for health workers to stay and serve the people.
He explained that there was the need to give the rural areas quality health care because about 80 percent of Ghanaians lived in the rural areas and needed health services.
He said the high maternal deaths in the region were unacceptable and effective measures needed to be taken to improve the situation.
The Deputy Co-ordinating Director, Mr. David Na-ire noted that good health in the district would aid the people to speed up development.
Mr. Na-ire disclosed that the Assembly had provided mechanised boreholes for the provision of
quality water to the community.