CHPS inaugurated in Mfanstiman District

Nanaben (C/R), Sept 16, GNA - The first Community-Health Compound of the Community Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in the Mfantseman District has been inaugurated at Ekumfi Nanaben, near Mankessim. Under the CHPS concept, health officers would render health services to members of a community at their doorsteps.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, District Chief Executive, explained that the National Health Insurance Scheme to replace the cash and carry system did not belong to members of a particular party or group of people. It was introduced out of the government's concern to make health delivery accessible to all and appealed to the people to embrace the scheme. The DCE appealed to the chiefs and people of the community to support the work of health officers to make the CHPS a success.

Ms. Patricia Antwi, Central Regional Co-ordinator of CHPS, said communities were expected to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and urged the people not to expect the Ministry to provide them with all their needs. She appealed to District Assemblies in the region to support the communities to make it a success. Mrs Trinity Brown, District Public Health Nursing Officer, said "Health for all by the year 2000" set under the Primary Health Care (PHC) was not fully achieved and called for co-operation, especially from the communities in the implementation of CHPS. She commended Plan, Ghana, a non-governmental organisation for putting up the structure for the programme at Nanaben.

Mr Jacob Turkson, Mankessim Programme Area Manager, Plan, Ghana, enumerated a number of projects and programmes the NGO had embarked on to improve the health of the people in the area. The projects and programmes included training of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), HIV/AIDS and adolescent reproductive health education.