Ada Foah (G/AR), Oct. 5, GNA- Twenty-five boats which are to be used to offer mobile health services in 22 communities around the Volta River in and around Ada traditional area in the Greater Accra Region, were commissioned at Pediatorkope, near Ada Foah, on Thursday. The project, under a public-private partnership, is to be replicated in areas along rivers 18 districts in five regions of the country.

Dr Elias Sory, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), who commissioned the boats, said they would help to improve health care delivery in such deprived areas. He said this was in line with international demands that all people remained healthy, and called on the community to patronise the boat service to avoid waste of government funds. Dr Sory urged the authorities to maintain the boats and use them for the delivery of health services.

Dr. Justice Hoffman, Dangme East District Director of Health Service, observed that the District was a deprived area with several challengers including inadequate staffing at health facilities, but said personnel had been able to meet regional and national targets. He said the Out-Patient Department of Ada Hospital recorded an increase of 40 per cent attendance due to effective collaboration between the Dangme East Mutual Health Insurance Scheme and the hospital.

He said the boats had come at a good time to improve health performance in the District adding "The district is going to increase geographical access and further improve intervention programmes in tuberculosis, malaria and HIV/AIDS, among others." Mr. Ben Quaye, Production Manager of Duratech Fibre Glass Limited, manufacturers of the boats, said each boat had two outboard motors, live jackets, fire extinguishers, navigational light, anchor, flash lights and whistles among other security features to be used in time of disaster. 5 Oct. 07