Tears welled up in Madam Lariba’s eyes as she recounted the ordeal of rushing her child, who was gasping for breath, from the Nangodi Health Center to the regional hospital.
The 48-year-old mother of six from Sakoti in the Nabdam District had no choice but to comply with the nurse’s instructions. Her child’s condition, diagnosed as dyspnoea, required urgent oxygen support— a resource the health center simply did not have.
“We do not have that here,” admitted Talata, a nurse at the Nangodi Health Center. “Sometimes, we sit helplessly as patients are referred, knowing that some of them might not make it to the regional hospital. It’s heartbreaking when our colleagues call back, saying they are overwhelmed and can’t accept more patients needing oxygen support.”
This heartbreaking reality has turned the Nangodi Health Center into a symbol of the dire healthcare challenges facing the Nabdam District and, by extension, the Upper East Region.
A Facility Without Oxygen: A Lifeline Cut Short
Constructed in 1996, the Nangodi Health Center was intended to serve as a critical health facility for the district. Nearly three decades later, it operates without a functioning oxygen cylinder or stabilizer.
Nurses like Talata, who was posted there a few years ago, face the grim challenge of transferring patients with respiratory or critical complications to the regional hospital. Many of these transfers end in tragedy.
“I made a report about the absence of oxygen support on my first day,” Talata revealed. “To my dismay, I learned the facility had been operating this way for years. Four to five cases weekly require oxygen support, yet we have nothing to offer.”
The Ripple Effect: A District Struggling to Breathe
The Nangodi Health Center is not alone in its struggles. Out of 32 health facilities in the Nabdam District, only one—managed by the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG)—has better resources, though still insufficient.
None of the facilities have an on-site oxygen-support system.
The Queen of Nakpalig Community, Pognaab Prisca Na’ambome Yenzie, voiced her frustration: “I was shocked to learn that no facility in our district has an oxygen plant. Pregnant women and children with complications are always referred to the regional hospital, risking lives along the way.”
Assembly Member Yamba Roland echoed these sentiments, lamenting his failed attempts to secure better healthcare resources for the district. “I have made countless appeals, but the situation remains the same.”
The Regional Perspective: Strained Resources
The Upper East Regional Hospital, with its two Intensive Care Units (ICUs), has become the last resort for many. However, the facility often struggles to meet the overwhelming demand for oxygen support. Patients spill into hallways, and some are treated on the floor due to overcrowding.
Dr. Samuel K. Boakye-Boateng, the Regional Director of Health Services, acknowledged the challenges in a letter to our reporter.
“The region has made strides in improving oxygen availability, with an oxygen plant in Bolgatanga and several oxygen concentrators and cylinders distributed across facilities. However, gaps remain, particularly in three district hospitals and several health centers.”
He said, “The region has one oxygen plant, four oxygen generators at some district hospitals, seven and 40 oxygen concentrators at some district hospitals and health centers respectively, seven, 53, and 24 oxygen cylinders with flowmeters and humidifiers at some district hospitals, health centers, and clinics/medical centers respectively, and seven, 68, 150, and 24 basic resuscitation equipment at some district hospitals, health centers, CHPS, and clinics/medical centers respectively.”
Community-Led Solutions: A Beacon of Hope
Despite the bleak picture, the community is mobilizing for change. On November 28, 2024, the Nangodi Health Center marked its 28th anniversary with a fundraising event to address its dire equipment needs.
Pognaab Prisca Na’ambome Yenzie emphasized the importance of collective effort: “We are organizing a grand durbar in December to solicit funds from Nangodi residents at home and abroad. The health center is our lifeline, and we must ensure it functions like a district hospital.”
The Broader Picture: A Regional Healthcare Crisis
The Upper East Region’s 588 public health facilities provide essential primary care, but many are under-resourced. According to a 2022 Ghana Statistical Service report, only seven district hospitals exist, and most operate with outdated equipment. The lack of adequate oxygen support exacerbates the region’s healthcare woes, often turning preventable conditions into fatal ones.
A Call to Action
Nurses like Talata and mothers like Madam Lariba highlight the human cost of these systemic failures. While the Ghana Health Service continues to make progress, the situation at facilities like Nangodi underscores the urgent need for investment in oxygen equipment and broader healthcare infrastructure.
As fundraising efforts gain momentum, the Nangodi community and its allies hope to breathe new life into their health center.
But without sustained governmental and institutional support, the dream of equitable healthcare in the Upper East Region may remain just that—a dream.
For Madam Lariba and countless others, every moment counts. The next life on the line could be yours or mine.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com | 101.1MHz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
