The Prestea-Huni Valley Municipal Assembly (PHVMA) in the Western Region has built a Community Based Health Planning Service (CHPS) compound to boost health delivery of Gyimakrom communities.

The two-unit detached quarters include consulting rooms, male and female wards, each with a lavatory and an Out-Patient-Department (OPD).

Work was executed by US Construction Ltd at the cost of GHc350,000 and funded by the Minerals Development Fund (MDF).

The project, championed by the Member of Parliament of the Prestea-Huni Valley Constituency, Mrs Barbara Oteng–Gyasi, would reduce the burden of the nine communities in accessing critical health care and emergencies.

The communities are Gyimakrom, Adadekrom, Bobkrom, Larbikrom, Camp, Okyerekojo, Akurakan, Bisakrom and Kofiekrom.

Over the years, residents of these communities struggled to access health care – with some travelling to Bogoso, the district capital or Prestea, about 30 kilometers away.

The Assistant Works Engineer of the Prestea-Huni Valley Assembly, Mr Michael Osei Antwi, told journalists during an inspection with officials of MDF last Thursday that, “What remained was the landscaping to reduce erosion at the facility.

“The objective of the Gyimakrom project is to provide ready access to healthcare and education.

“We will reduce maternal mortality and boost health generally. Overall, when the health of the people, who are mainly cocoa farmers are stronger, they will increase productivity, fully utilise the resources here, increase income and hence improve our revenue base.” Mr Osei explained.

The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Mozart Kweku Owuh, stated that the Gyimakrom communities had suffered when they were accessing health care in far way health centres.

He lamented that the only means of transport in the area was motorbikes, and “sometimes patients including pregnant women die while been conveyed to the hospitals for emergencies”.

Mr Owuh said as the assembly improved accommodation for health facilities in the communities, more health personnel would be attracted to work in the municipality which would help improve the health situation.

He hinted that some health personnel have expressed interest to work in the area as the assembly expanded and improved accommodation.

“This is a self- contained quarters with visitors’ room. We want to make people here comfortable and it will be fully furnished. The borehole will provide water 24 hours daily. It is our commitment to decentralise health services, bring health service closer to the people and prevent deaths.” he assured.

The acting Administrator of MDF, Dr Noriss Hammah, expressed his joy about the project, noting the funds have positively impacted on health delivery, adding, “Prestea -Huni Valley has done well”.

The Assemblyman for Gyimakrom, Louis Twum told the Ghanaian Times that the project would reduce their hardships, adding, “the communities are excited and grateful to the MP, the MDF and the MCE”.