Ghana’s health system is organised on five levels: community, sub-district, district, regional and national. The project was designed to improve efficiency at all of them.

At community level, we commissioned, built, equipped and provided water and electricity for eight grass-roots clinics (Community-based Health Planning and Services or CHPS compounds) in Nyamebekiyere and Jaway Wharf, Fawoman and Sanzule, New Ankasa and Tewakor II (Jomoro),  Abudrim and Asomase (Ellembele).

At sub-district level, we carried out reconstruction, provided equipment and laid on water and electricity for 10 health centres in New Town, Samaye, Tikobo, Ekabeku (Jomoro) and Aido Suazo, Aiyinasi, Asasetre, Essiama and Nkroful (Ellembele), and Agona Nkwanta (Ahanta West). We donated four ambulances and a water ambulance for the Jomoro district for use on the lagoon. 

At district level, we built a new prenatal ward at Saint Martin de Porres Hospital (Eikwe, Ellembele) and provided a 4x4 vehicle to boost prevention and healthcare activities in the poorly served villages. At Half Assini Hospital, as well as carrying out a general restructuring, we created and equipped an operating theatre and enlarged the maternity and in-patient wards.

At regional level, we carried out a targeted training programme for the staff of the various health facilities, assisted in optimising the region’s data-gathering and management system, donated teaching materials to support two nursing training institutions and developed an information, education and communication programme on health issues such as preventing endemic diseases, safe childbirth and improving standards of hygiene. Broadcast over the radio, this programme reached even the most remote areas.

Finally, at national level, the project assisted a survey by the Health Ministry’s Department of Statistics on the efficacy of Clorexidina in preventing neonatal infections, the results of which were instrumental in defining a new national policy in this field.

The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an action programme with 17 goals aimed at the social and economic development of communities and regions. This project helped us meet the target of ensuring the population’s health and wellbeing (Goal 3).

Workplace safety is a fundamental principle that we share with employees, contract workers and local communities. For that reason, we implement all necessary measures to avoid accidents, including organisational models to assess and manage risk, training programmes, skills development and the promotion of a culture of safety. 

The most innovative aspect of the project was that we worked within the current system, focusing on building up capacity and creating a platform for gathering and sharing information on healthcare. This enabled the existing institutions to become more aware of people’s real healthcare needs – and better understand and intervene to deal with them.

We worked with Ghana’s Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, which manages public health facilities, the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) and the Bambin Gesù Paediatric Hospital in Rome, the last of which provided technical support for training nurses and medical personnel. With the agreement of the Ghana Health Service and support from the University of Cape Coast, the Eni Foundation conducted a survey to assess the impact of our initiatives on the habits and health of those we helped. The results are used to define the needs of the population within the project area and devise basic indicators.