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.
The ambulance boat allows about four thousand inhabitants of the lagoon to receive basic health services and allows health institutions to have a constant and regular monitoring of the health situation in a border area, where the population varies significantly over the year, depending on the fishiness of the lagoon. There are 6 health professionals of the Ghana Health Service, which is a partner of the project: two nurses specialised in community health, a health information officer, a disease control officer, a nurse specialised in public health and a midwife. The ambulance boat provides family planning services, antenatal and postnatal care and paediatric clinic activities.
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.
