The people of Garkuon in the Sawla -Tuna-Kalba District would soon benefit from a CHPS Compound to end the practice of carrying the sick in the community for long distances to seek health care as a sword cutting was done yesterday at Garkuon for the construction of a CHPS compound.
The project will benefit over 3000 people in the Garkuon CHPS Zone which covers 7 communities: Garkuon, Wula, Porokong, Jieyiri, Keleteng, Dikatama and Kpotorteng.
Improving maternal and child health services in the Garkuon CHPS Zone is of priority to Hichale,a Kalba based NGO .
The project when completed shall consist of a CHPS compound, medical equipment, solar mechanised borehole/Power system for the CHPS compound, a motorbike for CHPS compound and another solar mechanised borehole for Jieyiri community.
The project cost is about 65000 Euros which is around 1million Ghana Cedis.
HiChale secured 75% of these funds from the German Development Ministry (Schmitz Stiftung), through the support of their partners in Germany, Aktionskreis Pater Hagen who are contributing 25% of the funding for this project.
The CHPS compound is the first phase of the project and is expected to be completed in 4 months.
Project contractor: Charles Andara of AC Ultimate Consult. The project would be supervised by Eng. Chrysantus Aada of Sawla District Assembly as the consultant.
Project backgroud:
It was a Community led project initiative by the late Assembly man of Garkuon with the support of the Kalba Sub district leader for health, Joseph Duut, who brought the project proposal to HiChale in 2024, with an endorsement from the Sawla Tuna Kalba district health directorate.
The initiative request was for the CHPS compound alone but after Hichale’s assessment of the situation in the area, they realised the need to add the other components and look for funding to ensure a sustainable impact.
Present at the sword cutting event was the Administrator for STK district health directorate Mr. Adams Gbolo Abu, who represented the director of health.
He assured HiChale of taking the needed steps to ensure proper functioning and management of the facility as soon as the project is completed.
He also assured the communities of the allocation of additional staff to the one already assigned to the zone and called on them to help these staff stay comfortably in the community to do their work when they come.
The in-charge of St. Joseph’s Health Center in Kalba, Mr. John Bosco Ollo who graced the occasion expressed his excitement about the project, alluding that it will ease the pressure on the only health center in the area once completed.
The managing director of Hichale, Mr. Emmanuel Dery Kuusani, called on all stakeholders to give this project their maximum support to ensure its success.
He emphasised that the success of this project means a lot for future funding opportunities.
He added this is the second and biggest external funding obtained by HiChale since it’s creation in 2023.
The first external funds was obtained from the German Embassy in Accra which was used for a solar irrigation project for 40 women in Funsi, which is currently producing organic dry Season vegetables.
Health committees from all the 7 villages were present including the traditional leaders of Garkuon community as well as women leaders.
The women expressed their excitement, saying they could not wait for it to finish soon.
“I can’t wait to start using this facility. We have to travel almost 7 kilometres with our pregnancies to Kalba, sometimes on foot before we can access healthcare. The nurse only comes around to our villages once every month and after that if you are sick you must find your way to Kalba. We will support this project will all our heart to be successful ” one of the women leaders stressed on.
Source: Yagbonradioonline
