Kangre Enterprise, the construction firm responsible for building a much-needed maternity block at the Katanga Health Center, has assured that the project will be completed within weeks, following a final payment of GHC200,000 from Dr. Dominic Ayine, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga East.
The maternity block, currently in the finishing stages, was previously halted due to a lack of funds, according to the contractor.
This essential facility will address a significant gap in the healthcare services offered at the center, which has struggled to accommodate pregnant women due to the absence of a dedicated maternity ward. Health workers had previously been forced to attend to pregnant women on the floor due to space constraints.
Dr. Ayine, who presented the GHC200,000 cheque through his National Health Insurance project funds, emphasized that completing this project fulfills a promise made during his 2020 election campaign.
During a visit to the health center, he witnessed the dire conditions under which deliveries were being conducted.
“In 2020, during my campaign, I visited the health center and saw firsthand the poor conditions faced by the nurses and pregnant women,” Dr. Ayine recounted. “The situation was appalling. They could only accommodate one pregnant woman at a time, and sometimes, when more women arrived, they had to lie on the floor. I promised to help build a maternity block to address this issue.”
Dr. Ayine’s commitment to the project has been substantial. Initially, he donated GHC40,000 to kick-start the construction, followed by an additional GHC60,000. With further support of GHC150,000 from his National Health Insurance project funds, and now the latest contribution of GHC200,000, he has significantly contributed to the project’s funding.
The MP noted that the contractor had indicated a need for an additional GHC150,000 to finalize the project, but he chose to present a cheque for GHC200,000 instead.
Ramatu Ahmed, the Katanga Sub-District In-Charge, expressed optimism about the impact of the new maternity block. She highlighted that the facility will provide a safer and more comfortable environment for women to give birth, which is expected to contribute to a reduction in maternal and newborn mortality rates in the region.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga
