Children Believe, Norsaac present medicines, medical equipment to three Health Directorates

THE Northern, Upper East and Savannah Regional Health Directorates have taken delivery of various medicines and medical equipment to improve care for pregnant/lactating mothers, adolescent girls and children under five years.

The medicines and medical equipment, worth GH¢1.6 million, were procured with funding support from the Canadian Government through Global Affairs Canada.

They included Combined Iron (III) Hydroxide Polymaltose and Folic Acid – 5,500 Boxes, Mebendazole (Wormalex 400mg) – 10,000 Packs, Albendazole (400mg) – 20,000 Packs, Combine Ferrous Sulphate and Folic Acid (Folidyn Tab mp) – 2880 cartons, Tarring Weighing Scale- 18 pieces, Digital Thermometer – 108 pieces, and Height Rod in CMS/Feet HOM Stadiometer – 27 pieces.

The rest were Blood Pressure Monitor Digital, Andon- 27 pieces, Ultrasonic Pocket Doppler, 1.5v Sonotrax Basic – 9 pieces, Glucose meters – 54 pieces, Glucose meter stripes (50’s)- 500 pieces, Delivery set (used for facility-based delivery) – 27 pieces, Hb Testing System/URIT -12 – 36 pieces, Hb Test Stripes (50’s) – 800 pieces, Weighing Scale, Hanging (Salter) HOM- 27 pieces.

Some 96,374 individuals comprising pregnant/lactating mothers, adolescent girls and children under five years in nine districts in the three regions are expected to benefit from the medicines and the medical equipment.

A total of 54 health facilities in the nine districts, namely Bole, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, East Gonja, Tolon, Kumbungu, Nanumba South, Builsa South, Kassena-Nankana West and Kassena-Nankana North, are to benefit from the supplies.

They were donated by Children Believe, an international NGO, under the Championing Nutrition and Gender Equality (CHANGE) project, which is funded by Global Affairs Canada.

The CHANGE project is being implemented in partnership with Norsaac; the national implementing partner, amongst other governmental agencies.

The overall objective of the project is to improve nutrition for the poorest and most marginalised, especially women and adolescent girls.

Madam Esenam Kavi De Souza, the Country Director, Children Believe, speaking to hand over the medicines and the medical equipment to the authorities of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) at the Regional Medical Stores in Tamale, said it was geared towards achieving the project’s commitment to improve women’s leadership and control resources for community and individual gender equitable nutrition practices.

The authorities of the GHS in the Upper East and Savannah Regions also received their share of the donated items in their respective regions.

Madam De Souza said the gesture followed assessments conducted with the GHS to identify the most critical healthcare needs in the targeted communities. She said the intervention was designed to ensure that the support would make a meaningful difference in healthcare delivery for the poorest and most marginalised populations in the targeted districts.

Dr Chrysantus Kubio, the Northern Regional Director, GHS, who received the items, said they would significantly improve health service delivery in the beneficiary districts in the region.

He said as part of the project, motorbikes and laptops were also supplied to the districts to facilitate the work of health personnel and improve data analysis for health services.

He lauded the project saying such partnerships were crucial in supporting vulnerable populations, who faced financial barriers to healthcare and expressed appreciation to Global Affairs Canada and the implementing partners for their support. —GNA