Mr Bernard Bananzi, Deputy Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, on Thursday donated medical equipment to the Tongo Health Centre in the Talensi-Nabdan District.

The items, valued at $35,000, included a mammography unit, anesthesia machines and accessories, prisma machines and accessories, theatre table, lights and its accessories, Pentax Scopes, Defibrillators, Madex Medfussions, Suction Units, Ultraclaves, clutches, X-ray cassettes and demonstration dulls.

Mr Bananzi said as part of his study visit to the United States and realizing the health needs of deprived communities in the country, the Council of International Programmes (CIP), Columbus, and Mr Bahram Hashemi, provided funding for the procurement of the equipment.

He commended the Director of Direct Assistance Network Ghana, Dr Apaak Azundem, Mr John Tia Akologo and Mr Moses Asaga, members of Parliament for Tongo and Nabdan constituencies and the District Chief Executive for the area, Mrs Vivian Anafu, for their assistance in getting the equipment to the health centre.

He expressed appreciation for the efforts of the Executive Director of the Columbus International Programme, Mr Mark Poeppelman, Mr Bahram Hashemi and the Ohio State Hospital for their support.

Madam Rosemond Azure, the District Director of Health Services, appealed to the district assembly and the Regional Health Directorate to expedite plans at expanding the health centre.

The Mammography unit, she said, is the first in the three northern regions. **