The Upper East Regional Minister, Tangoba Abayage, has assured the management and staff of the Paga District Health Centre that she will take urgent steps to ensure the health centre becomes a fully functional hospital.

She said the good track record the facility has attained in the area of health service delivery despite the challenges and meagre resources at its disposal, has empowered her to take serious strides in ensuring a full hospital status accreditation is given to the health centre.

Tangoba Abayage was speaking to management and staff of the Paga district health centre on Wednesday where she inspected two newly commissioned 56-bed capacity maternity block and children ward.

The Minister was hopeful that the availability of the new wards and beds would curb issues of space and beds deficit and help the centre provide quality, reliable and timely health care to the people of Paga.

She commended the District Assembly for the steps it took to address some of the difficulties of the facility, adding that government will not relent on its efforts to inject the needed transformation in the Paga District Health Centre.

The Minister spoke elaborate on the need for management of the centre to adhere strictly to good maintenance culture to enable the entire centre and components stand the test of time.

"I'm very impressed with what I have seen here. With the maternity block and children's ward, the facility will be able to do way with women and children sleeping on the floor. This will greatly add to efforts being put in place by government to give the people access to quality health services. I must also commend the District Assembly for the good job they have done in meeti g the needs of the health centre. Government and the District will continue to do their best to provide everything the hospital need. I will also take urgent steps to ensure that the hospital gets the accreditation of a full hospital. I like it when I hear good things like this reduction in maternal and infant mortality and I will make sure I give my support to make it a hospital ". She assured.

The Minister proceeded to a site in Paga-Zena where an office complex is being erected to accommodate offices of the Kasena-Nankana West district assembly. At the site, she ascertained the progress of work and held interactions with the construction workers.

She took her tour of the district to the Paga Roman Catholic Primary school and interacted with the teachers and pupils.

There, she listened to their concerns and difficulties and assured them of government’s quick intervention.

She also witnessed the handing over of more than 500 pieces of classroom dual metal desks by the District Chief Executive, Gerard Ataogye, to basics schools in the area.

Madam Tangoba at the Paga Roman Catholic Primary school reiterated the importance of keeping school property such as the distributed furniture safe and away from destruction.

She concluded her working visit of the district with a stop at Paga-Sakaa and inspected the site of the "One village, One Dam" project there. She also held brief deliberations with some women groups in the Paga-Sakaa area.