Saudi Funded Health Centres top be completed this year

Construction works on the Saudi Funded Health Centres throughout the country are to be completed by the end of this to allow the various communities benefit from basic health services. Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister for Health said this in an answer to a supplementary question asked by Mr. Cletus Avoka, NDC-Bawku West as to when the health centres numbering about 80 across the country would be completed.

Mr. Akugri Bernard Achidago, NPP-Binduri asked the minister when the Saudi funded health Centre for Binduri would be completed and made operational to serve the health needs of the community and its environs.

Dr Afriyie said the project was 95 percent completed and remains minor outstanding works of painting and installation of electrical fittings, adding that the works have been programmed for execution this August and it was envisaged it would be operational by the end of the year. Alhaji Abukari Sumani, NDC Choggu/Tishigu asked how many of the Saudi Funded health projects have been completed and were operational and the Minister said he was not absolutely sure of the figure but would have to contact his directors for an answer.

Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah, NDC-Ningo/Prampram in another question asked when construction of the proposed Hospital at Old Ningo would commence and the Minister said construction of a health centre at Old Ningo was currently on going. Dr. Afriyie said the policy was to provide each district with a hospital and since Ada as the district capital of Dangbe East has a new hospital to serve as a referral point, Old Ningo does not qualify for a district hospital.

However, Mr Mensah said Old Ningo was not in the Dangbe East District but rather the Dangbe West District, where there was no hospital but only health centre and that Ada was so far away that it couldn't serve as a referral point.

Dr Afriyie said since Old Ningo is not in the Dangbe East district as indicated it would be considered in line with government 's plan to provide each district capital with a hospital and gave the assurance that Old Ningo would be assisted to get a hospital under the HIPC initiative.

Mr Mike Gizo, NDC-Shai/Osudoku asked which health facility has been identified to be upgraded to a hospital for the Dangbe West District and the Minister said he did not have ready answer to the facility. Mr. Abraham Owusu Baidoo, NDC- Twifo/Hemang/Lower Denkyira asked when the only Health Centre in the Twifo/Hemang/Lower Denkyira District would be up-graded to a District Hospital.

Dr Afriyie said the Twifo/Hemang/Lower Denkyira district is one of the two Districts in the Central Region without a District Hospital, adding that however, in 1998, the Ministry for Health started the process of providing the district with a hospital and a theatre was completed and equipped followed with the construction of a laboratory and X-Ray block which, is about 90 percent completed.

He said the Health centre is situated in the middle of the town, which is making it difficult for additional wards, other structures and expansion. It has 20 beds half of which are at the maternity block. Dr Afriyie said the Methodist Church initiated the construction of a hospital complex in the town but was abandoned with 55 percent completion and the ministry was exploring the possibility of either assisting the Church to complete it or allow it to run as an agency district hospital.

He said the other option was to compensate the Church and run it as a public institution and it is envisaged that if the arrangement becomes successful, the current Health centre could then serve as the Maternity wing of the Hospital.

The other alternative, which the Minister said was difficult, was to compensate the people living in and around the Health centre and move them out to create room for expansion of the existing structures. Mr Abraham Kofi Asante, NDC-Amenfi-West asked why the hospital could not be expanded and the Minister said it was due to lack of space in the town centre.

Mr Harry Halifax-Hayford, NDC- Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese asked the criteria used for the creation and up-grading of health centres to hospitals and the Minister said it was based on technical and professional advice as to the health needs of the people and it should be community-driven.

Mr Mike Gizo, NDC-Shai/Osudoku asked whether it would be possible to expand the health centre if the Methodist Church refuse to release their uncompleted hospital and the Minister said the ministry has to negotiate and convince the Church to release the hospital.