Accra, May 13, GNA- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Thursday presented 12 tractor ambulances and 25 Piaggio vehicles valued at 1.8 billion cedis to the Ministry of Health. It had earlier presented communication equipment valued at 663 million cedis to the ministry bringing the total value of items presented to over 2.2 billion cedis.

Mr. Moses Mukasa, UNFPA Country Representative, said the presentation was made under the UNFPA and the Government's fourth country programme of assistance towards the provision of quality health care with special focus on the northern regions in the fight against poverty.

He said the current programme was to strengthen the capacity of Reproductive Child Health and support the logistics and distribution systems that would ran from 2001 to 2005.

He said the focus on the three northern regions was an attempt to reduce the disparities in conformity with the Ministry's established goals and objectives regarding distribution of health facilities and provision of services between and within regions.

He said 18 billion cedis had also been secured from the European Commission (EC) to strengthen reproductive health services in the Central Region, the fourth poorest region of the country. Mr. Mukasa said the UNFPA would further see to the training of personnel who would handle the vehicles and urged the Ministry to ensure good maintenance culture.

Mr. Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health thanked the UNFPA for their support and said the assistance would go a long way to save lives in deprived areas.