Pienyina (B/A) Nov 17, GNA - The people of Pienyina in the Nkoranza North District are suffering from intestinal infections and other water-borne diseases because of the lack of potable water and toilet facilities.

Mr. Kofi Gyan, the Nurse in-Charge of the Community Based Health Planning Services Centre, at Pienyina, has, therefore, appealed to the district assembly and philanthropic organisations to construct a borehole and toilet facilities to their health.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, at Pienyina, Mr Gyan said the people depended on streams, which were the sources of many diseases. Cases of malaria are also on the ascendancy, he noted, pointing out that unfortunately, many of them were not registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) so they could not access safe medical care.

Instead, they resort to self-medication with herbal medicine whose efficacy and safety could not be guaranteed, he said.

Mr Gyan appealed to the assembly members and chiefs in the area to educate the people on the importance of the scheme for everyone to have access to safe and affordable medical care.

He also urged the management of the Nkoranza NHIS to regularly visit the farming communities and sensitize the people on the need to join the scheme.