The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) on Tuesday handed over 14 motorbikes to selected health facilities to improve maternal and child health delivery in remote areas.
The motorbikes are part of 104 bikes donated to the CHAG and the Ghana Health Service by the United States Government in June, this year, under the Integrated Health Partnership Programme.
They are expected to provide a reliable means of transportation to enable frontline healthcare workers in the beneficiary hospitals to reach patients in remote communities.
Dr Peter Yeboah, the Executive Director of CHAG, who presented the motorbikes to the 14 health facilities, expressed the hope that it would facilitate the work of the beneficiaries to earn the trust of patients, saying: “In recent times, trust is your biggest social capital as a health worker’.
He urged them to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ in the way they served their communities and avail themselves to the project to ensure a reduction in maternal and child deaths in their communities.
Mr George Adjei (Esq), the Director of Catholic Health Service Trust, Ghana, who received the bikes on behalf of the beneficiaries, urged the hospitals to use the bikes according to the wish of the donor.
Dr Isabella Amese, the Medical Director, Baptist Medical Centre, said the bikes would help the hospital to provide health service and medical essentials in communities with poor roads.
“We work in all communities in the district and beyond, some of the roads are inaccessible and you cannot drive there unless you use a motor bike, the bike will help us reach harder to reach areas to provide maternal and child health care,” she said.
Dr Amese said the Baptist Medical Centre recorded more delays in the presentation of maternal health complications due to the lack of knowledge and transportation, adding that the bike would help the hospital to expand health promotion to engage and educate patients to address the menace.
She expressed gratitude to CHAG for the donation, saying: “This is a very big help for us.”
The beneficiary hospitals are St. Theresah Hospital- Nandom, St. Joseph Hospital -Jirapa, Leyata Hospital-Carpenter, St. Ann Hospital – Damongo, Baptist Hospital – Nalerigu, and Assemblies of God Hospital -Saboba.
The rest are Kings Medical Centre-Bolgatanga, St. Mathia’s Hospital – Yeji, St. Elizabeth Hospital – Hwidiem, St Mary Hospital- Drobo, St Joseph Hospital -Nkawkaw, Presby Hospital-Agogo, St Martins Hospital-Agyekum and St. Martin’s De Porres Hospital-Ekwei.