Three PCs in La Dadekotopon pledge to improve local healthcare system

Three Parliamentary Candidates (PCs) contesting the La Dadekotopon seat in the Greater Accra Region have promised an improved healthcare system when voted to power.

The candidates: Mr Joseph Gerald Tetteh, PC for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Madam Gifty Koshie Odamtten, an Independent Candidate and Madam Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, PC, for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), all pledged to strengthen the local healthcare system to offer effective services to the constituents should they get the nod.

They took their turns at a debate to present their policies and programmes to the constituents, ahead of the December polls.

The debate, organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in the La Dadekotopon Municipality formed part of the Commission’s plans to ensure issue-based campaigns, to enable electorates to make informed choices.

It was funded by the European Union (EU) and centred on major issues of concern to the people including Education, Health, Employment, Persons with Disability, the Youth and Aged.

Outlining his plans for the constituency, Mr Tetteh said the development of every nation depended on the health of its citizens and that aside individuals taking responsibility for their own health, government must provide an effective healthcare system capable of meeting the demand of the people.

He outlined two steps to improve on the health of constituents which included regular screening of citizens to allow for early detection and treatment of illnesses, as well as equip health facilities with the right equipment needed to facilitate healthcare delivery.

“I’m not only going to rely on central government to provide equipment for health delivery because there are so many multinational corporations within the La Dadekotopon constituency and so I will engage them to commit portions of their corporate social responsibility funds to support health care system in the constituency,” he added.

Mr Tetteh further promised to improve on the working conditions of health providers through the establishment of a fund to support staff of the various healthcare providers to motivate them to deliver on their mandate.

Madam Koshie Odamtten said she would strengthen and regularize the community clean-up exercise to enhance the general well-being of the people.

“Our health depends on how clean our environment is and this means that we need to bring back the regular community clean-up exercise to erase the constituency of filth and I believe this will address our numerous health problems,” she said.

Madam Odoley Sowah reiterated the need for free regular community health screening for early detection of health risks and defects of the people and address them.

The NDC PC said to ensure that constituents benefited from the NDC’s free healthcare policy, she would ensure that the constituents, particularly the young, aged and the vulnerable, obtained the National Health Insurance cards for free.

On Education, Mr Tetteh said he would use a portion of the MP share of the Common Fund to improve local school infrastructure.

Madam Gifty promised to set up a scholarship fund to support tertiary education of local students.

Other areas the PCs promised to address included Employment, Use of Illicit Drugs by the Youth, Persons with Disability and issues of the Aged.

The seat is being contested by five aspirants but two others; Sinare Hummi of the People’s National Convention and Mr Michael Paa Kojo Bowman, an Independent candidate, were both absent at the debate.