Abrem-Berase(C/R), Feb. 03, GNA - Nana Agyeman Kyriwia Kodie VI, Omanhene of Abrem Traditional Area in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) district, on Thursday appealed to the Government to rehabilitate the Agona-Effutu-Ponkrom road to help save lives of expectant mothers and their babies.

He expressed concern about the deplorable nature of the road that had resulted in the death of many expectant mothers. "Due to the nature of the road many expectant mothers in the area, develop complications and when referred to health facilities in Cape Coast, die while being conveyed there, " He added. Nana Kodie made the appeal at the launching of 'kick start' a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) programme at Abrem-Berase.

Mr Philip Ayipa, a philanthropist has provided a temporal structure for the programme, aimed at involving communities in health care delivery.

Nana Kodie suggested that part of the poverty alleviation fund, should be used to pay the allowances of health care volunteers trained to assist the resident nurse in the area. Mr George Asmah, KEEA District Chief Executive, said the assembly had allocated eight billion cedis to rehabilitate the road and would soon be awarded on contract.

He said in addition, the assembly had earmarked 300 million cedis to construct a permanent structure for the programme before the end of the year.

Mr Asmah advised the people to take environmental sanitation and personal hygiene serious to avoid communicable diseases and also register with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to enjoy affordable and quality health care.

He educated the people on the Capitation grant and encouraged them to send their children to school.

Dr. Yaw Ofori-Yeboah KEEA District Director of Health Services, appealed to the affluence in the society to support the programme to succeed.

He said it was a laudable programme that would curtail the problem of travelling long distances to seek health care. Mr George Asante, Medical Assistant in charge of the local health post, said the CHPS, formed part of measures by the Ministry of Health to ensure quality health care delivery to the doorsteps of Ghanaians and urged the people to support it.