SEND-GHANA presents Biochemistry Analyzer to Bawku Hospital

SEND-GHANA has presented a Biochemistry Analyzer to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital in the Upper East Region.

The presentation was jointly done by Madam Clara Osei-Boateng, a Director of Advocacy Programmes at SEND-GHANA and Mr. Ernest Okyere, Programmes Manager at Christian Aid.

The equipment, which is valued at $35,000, was presented to the hospital as part of Zochonis Charity Trust funded project aimed at promoting safe delivery and reducing maternal mortality in Ghana.

Presenting the equipment to the facility at a short ceremony during a tour of the Region, Madam Osei-Boateng said, “we are not happy about the alarming maternal death rates being recorded in the Region and as a measure to help reduce this unacceptable trend and in consultation with the management of the facility and Christian Aid, we have decided to procure and present to the facility, one of the most important equipment it lacks-the Biochemistry Analyzer.”

The Biochemsitry Analyzer is a compact, fully automated bench top clinical equipment suitable for use in small to medium-throughput laboratories to determine components in blood.

These blood analyzers are used by hospitals, medical labs, forensic labs, and by people at home. A blood chemistry analyzer may be used to test for many things, such as blood cell counts, therapeutic drug monitoring, illegal drug use, blood typing, protein analysis, checking thyroid function, checking for the presence of antibodies, and, when used by patients at home, for glucose or cholesterol monitoring.

There are several types of tests used by blood analyzers, including cell counters for doing the blood counts, immunoassays for detecting antibodies, tests for ions that measure voltage differences, and tests for the presence of enzymes that detect enzyme activity by a physical change in the sample.

Receiving the equipment on behalf of the facility, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services (DDNS) Damata Abukari who doubles as the Nursing Services Administrator of Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, expressed gratitude to European Union, SEND-GHANA and Christian Aid for the kind gesture and promised to use the equipment to enhance their laboratory work in order to reduce incidents of maternal death in the Region.

She appealed to other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to emulate SEND-GHANA's example and gave the assurance that the equipment will be put to good use in the spirit of good maintenance.

Speaking on behalf of the management of the facility, Mr. Frederick Effah-Yeboah, the General Manager of Presbyterian Health Service-North, expressed gratitude to their health partners which include SEND-GHANA and Christian Aid for the timely presentation of the Biochemistry Analyzer.

According to him being their highest facility which functions more like a specialist centre with very wide coverage area, maternal mortality has also been a thorny issue and therefore there cannot be a better time for this presentation.

He noted that the issue of maternal mortality comes about as a result of untimely treatment of clients and so with the Biochemistry Analyzer, “we can do a range of tests that will also facilitate the quick decision of the doctors so that they can give timely care to people.

“Once the doctors can make a very quick decision of the client and they can put in the necessary intervention then unnecessary deaths and complications can be avoided”.

Meanwhile, with funding from Friends of Bawku and Zochonis, a new labour ward is being constructed while the expansion work to ease the pressure on the existing Maternity ward is ongoing.