General News of Sunday, 19 October 2003

Source: GNA

Expectant women in 4 regions to enjoy free medical care

Winneba, Oct. 19, GNA - Expectant women in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and the Central Regions, are to enjoy free medical care, under the Special Health Delivery Scheme initiated by government to ensure safe delivery of children in the four deprived regions. Dr Nii Adjei Adjetey, District Director of Health Services for Awutu-Effutu-Senya, who disclosed this at the weekend, said the regions were recently declared the most economically distressed regions in the country according to a World Bank report.

He was speaking at a fund-raising ceremony organised by the Winneba District Branch of the Apostolic Church, Ghana at Winneba on Sunday. The programme formed part activities to round off the Church's 65th anniversary celebrations, under the theme, " the Lord is the strong hold of your life".

Dr Adjetey said government had made available about 600,000,000 million cedis to the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Directorate of the Ministry of Health through the District Assembly. He said the amount was meant for the settlement of medical bills of pregnant women who would attend any health institution in the district to deliver.
Dr Adjetey, therefore, advised the women to report to the Winneba Government Hospital and other health institutions in the area for medical care.
Dr Adjetey commended the Apostolic Church for its contribution to the socio-economic development of the country.
He appealed to Churches to form anti HIV/AIDS education clubs to help reduce the spread of the disease.
Dr Adjetey also urged Churches to pay regular visits to persons with the disease and to assist in removing the stigma attached to the victims.
Addressing the congregation, Professor Josephus Anamunah-Mensah, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education of Winneba, urged Churches to champion the fight against indiscipline and social vices to ensure peace and stability.
He said Christianity would be meaningless if the churches failed to eliminate immorality that has engulf the nation. Prof. Anamunah-Mensah appealed to parents to be alive to their parental responsibilities, particularly the education of their children. He charged the district assembly to tackle the preventing of the problem of teenage pregnancy, street children and child labour that affected the child-development.
Prof. Anamuah-Mensah said though Jesus Christ paved the way for success "we can only attain this enviable feat, if we walk in the ways of God and forsake our crocked ways which will lead to us to destruction."
Mr Mike Alex Hammah Member of Parliament for Effutu called on the Church to ensure unity, peace and stability for development. Mr Hammah asked Churches to prayer for the nation and to seek ways of reconciling the people.
Pastor Samuel Awidi in-charge of the Winneba District Branch of the Apostolic Church, said it was planning to build a 250-million cedi chapel.
Representatives from Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi, Takoradi and Sekondi participated in the anniversary. 19 Oct. 03