Health delivery services to be accessible to all

Accra (Greater Accra), 4^th November 99

As part of the government's efforts to make health delivery services easily accessible, the Ministry of Health has drawn up an extensive programme to construct health centres in very deprived areas of the country.

Dr. Moses Adibo, a Deputy Minister of Health, answering questions in Parliament on Wednesday said in pursuance of this, the regional health administrations have submitted priority lists to the Ministry for consideration.

Asked when the Ministry will consider building a health centre at Coaster in the Eastern Region, Dr Adibo said Coaster, unfortunately, is not on the priority list submitted by the Regional Director of Health Services, since the residents of the town have easy access to the Nsawam Hospital.

On the making of the Bimbilla Health Centre functional since it is without infrastructure and a medical officer, the Deputy Minister said the facility is among those earmarked for upgrading to district hospitals under an Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) funding.

As such accommodation and other utilities will be incorporated within the scope of work that is required for a district level hospital, Dr Adibo said, adding that work is expected to begin either by the end of this year or early next year.

On the question of a doctor for the health centre, Dr. Adibo said there is currently a shortage of doctors, but added that efforts are being made to post a doctor to the Bimbilla Health Centre as soon as possible.

It was suggested that the facility be declared as an emergency case so that a doctor is drafted there.

Asked what the Ministry is doing to attract more doctors in the face of the shortage he said proposals on new service conditions have been submitted for the government's consideration and approval.

He expressed the hope that if the proposals were approved, more doctors would be attracted into the public sector.

Asked about steps the Ministry is taking to rehabilitate the Dunkwa Government Hospital, which is in a serious state of disrepair, and the provision of an ambulance, Dr Adibo said some rehabilitation work on the hospital is currently going on.

He said work on the dental clinic has been completed while some provision has been made in next year's budget to continue the rehabilitation adding that about a month ago, the hospital was provided with a new Land Rover ambulance that could withstand the terrain in the area.

Dr Adibo said due to financial constraints, the 120-bed maternity unit for the Old Tafo Polyclinic in Kumasi has been suspended, instead polyclinic's canteen is being converted into a 10-bed maternity block.

Asked whether he thought a 10-bed block is a substitution for a 120-bed maternity unit, Dr Adibo said, "we are starting the project on a moderate scale with the limited resources available now".

He was asked whether he was aware that due to the low voltage of electrical power supply to Old Tafo, both the X-ray machine and the Ultra-Sound Scanner at the Polyclinic were not functioning.

The Deputy Minister explained that the machines are not out of order, but they need a power booster to function.

He said the X-ray machine has been found to be too big for the polyclinic due to the low level of power, adding that a smaller one is, therefore, being sent to replace it.

Asked whether the Ministry would consider providing a means of transport to the Fumbisi Health Centre in the Upper East Region, which caters for the people in the Oncho-Freed Zone, Dr. Adibo said the Centre has motor bikes to make the staff mobile.

He said there are no immediate plans to provide a four-wheel vehicle to the centre, but added that a new ambulance is stationed at Sandema to service surrounding health facilities.

GRi