A total of 55 Community-based Health Planning System (CHPS Compound) are to be constructed in most deprived communities in the Northern and Volta regions of Ghana by the United States government. One hundred and fifty-five existing ones would also be renovated under the USAID Systems for Health five-year project.

Four of the 25 CHPS Compound are currently under construction and work is expected to end by September this year. Work on the remaining ones will commence by the second-half of this year with and be completed by the end of 2018.

It is expected to improve the provision of primary healthcare in rural areas of Ghana by bringing healthcare to the doorstep of the under privileged communities.

At the official sod cutting ceremony in the Warivi community in the Mion District of the Northern Region, Chief of Party at the USAID System for Health, Jay Weks-Ler, said the project is a US support to the Ghana Health Service in providing equal and quality healthcare to all Ghanaians.

“USAID System for Health has for the past three years provided five-year project implemented in five regions of Ghana and funded by the United States Agency for International Development.

“The project’s mandate is to strengthen health systems by building the capacity of managers, health workers and communities to deliver and sustain the use of health services that will have the greatest impact on ending preventable maternal and child deaths,” he said. Mr Weks-Ler added: “We believe we can harness efficiencies by providing opportunities to identify and address high-priority needs and thus develop and sustainable long term solutions.

We are asking individuals and businesses to give back to communities through philanthropic contributions during project procurement and implementation” Other objectives of the project are to support interventions that will improve the reproductive health of women as well as improving the nutritional status of pregnant women and children.

“For this to be possible, USAID Systems for Health collaborated with the Ghana Health Service and Regional and District Assemblies to provide improved access to quality health care for the people of Northern and other Region,” Mr Weks-Ler said. Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, expressed gratitude to the US government for choosing to set up one of its biggest arm in the Northern Region amidst security threats.

“We thank the US for trusting in the Northern Region by setting up the head office of the USAID here. With all the security issues we have been faced with, none of the situations saw the exit of the USAID from this region.” Whiles entreating other developmental partners to identify the potential of the Northern Region, he encouraged residents in the various communities to own the projects and make good use of them.

He also advised the various assemblies to practice the culture of maintenance to preserve all the structures. “The continuous stay of USAID in the region should send signals to other development partners that the northern region after all isn’t as bad as presented to the world so I encourage partners to see the potentials of the region and invest to develop the area”.

The Northern Regional Health Director, Dr Jacob Mahama, raised concern about the state of over 100 CHPS compounds in the region, which he said, has stalled quality healthcare delivery in many communities in the region.

“We still have over 1000 CHPS in the parts of the region which are in bad states. We will keep appealing, renovating those facilities will mean adding to health delivery especially in a region where health facilities are still not enough”.