Nana Okofo Kweku Preko II, Chief of Tegyamoso in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region, has appealed to the Ministry of Health to commission an abandoned Community-based Health Promotion and Services (CHPS) compound to improve healthcare services in the area.

The facility, which was constructed through communal labour, had not been utilized by health authorities for seven years and this had deprived the people of access to quality and affordable healthcare services.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, the Chief stated that all efforts to get the Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Health Service to furnish and commission the facility had been futile.

He said when he assumed office years ago, he told the residents that due to the limited resources available to government and the Assembly, it was practically impossible to provide all the needed social projects at once.

In that regard, the community embarked on the project through self-help to augment what the central and local governments provided as its contribution towards national development efforts.

However, he said it was disheartening to see the facility abandoned for years after rigorous communal labour.

In the absence of the facility, he said, patients had to use motorbikes to access the nearest health facility, about 24 kilometres to Dunkwa-on-Offin

The situation, he indicated was an impediment to government's agenda to extend quality healthcare services to all regardless of one's location as part to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages to achieve the Universal Health Coverage.

He recounted traumatic experiences of pregnant women and children who had to travel several kilometers to Dunkwa-on-Offin to access healthcare services, which he said posed a threat to lives.

"Accessing healthcare in our part of the Municipality, is dangerous especially to pregnant women and children as they have to be carried on motorbikes through a deplorable road to access hospital at Dunkwa-on-Offin which is far from here," the Chief explained.

Relatedly, he lamented about the poor road network in the area ridden with potholes when driving to Tegyamoso community, compelling motorcyclists to charge exorbitant fares.

The circumstance, he said had affected socioeconomic progress of the area as roads were one of the key factors that contributed to development of any society.