ADRA donates 26 million cedis worth of drugs to Hospital

Donkorkrom (E/R), Nov. 27, GNA- The Adventist Relief and Development Agency (ADRA), of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA), had donated assorted drugs and six bales of used clothes worth 26 million cedis to the Presbyterian Hospital at Donkorkrom in the Eastern Region.

ADRA also presented documentary tape and cassettes on HIV/AIDS to the hospital for its educational programmes. The drugs included antibiotics, painkillers, bandages and oral dehydrated salts (ORS).

Making the presentation at Donkorkrom on Tuesday, the Country Director of ADRA, Mr Samuel Asante-Mensah, said as a humanitarian organization, it was obliged to assist the sick and the needy. He urged the hospital authorities to ensure effective use of the drugs to improve the health delivery system in the area. Receiving the drugs, Dr. Clement Oppong, a medical officer in-charge of the hospital, thanked ADRA for the assistance, which he noted, would greatly improve the health needs of the people. He said the high poverty rate in the area and the bad road network was compelling some of the people to rely on quack doctors and other unorthodox methods for their health care needs. This, he said resulted in high maternal mortality rate. Dr Oppong advised the people to register with the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to ensure sustainable and affordable health delivery system in the area.

The General Manager of the hospital, Mr Fred Effah Yeboah, said the Presbyterian Church had provided accommodation to all technical staff of the hospital since it took over the administration of the hospital in 1995, and appealed to the government to complete an abandoned structure for the administration and maternity units of the hospital.

He said due to the deprived nature of the district, many medical personnel failed to accept postings to the area. Mr Yeboah said there were two doctors, without a pharmacist at the hospital, which had been classified, as one of the best hospitals in the country.

In another development, ADRA presented 25 bales of used clothes to the SDA Church at Donkokrom and Tease for distribution to people of some communities in the area.