Takoradi, June 17, GNA - Sight Savers International (SSI), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), on Tuesday donated five Yamaha motorbikes valued at 145 million cedis to the Western Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Services (GHS) in Takoradi. Mr Kofi Osei Kusi, National Administrator of SSI, handed over the motorbikes to Dr Slyvester Anemana, Regional Director of GHS. Dr Anemana said the motorbikes would facilitate the distribution of Mectizin, a preventive drug for river blindness, in five most endemic districts of Wassa west, Mpohor Wassa East, Wassa Amenfi, Aowin-Suaman and Sefwi Wiawso.
He said the donation was made at the time when the GHS was in dire need of transport facilities to reach the remote parts of endemic districts.
He advised schedule officers who would handle the motorbikes to take good care of them to prolong their lifespan. Mr Kusi expressed the commitment of SSI towards the country's river blindness eradication programme. He said the Motorbikes were covered by a comprehensive insurance policy.
Speaking in an interview with journalists, Mr Edwin Kumbatzie, Regional Health Education Officer, said last year, 464,914 people of out of a total population of 645,511 were treated of river blindness last year in the endemic districts.
