A Physician Specialist and philanthropist, Dr George Tettegah, has donated two delivery beds and surgical instruments to two health facilities in order to ensure improved birthing process for both patient and caregiver.
The two beneficiaries are Maame Krobo Health Centre at Kwahu Afram Plains South District and Lekpongunor Community-Based Health and Planning Services (CHPS) Compound at Ningo-Prampram District.
Presenting the equipment in Accra yesterday, he said the donation was necessitated by an incident that occured last year in which a nurse delivered a pregnant woman in tricycle in the Afram Plains South District due to lack of a delivery bed at the CHPS compound facility.
“This incident really touched my heart. I therefore decided to donate these beds to needy communities,” he explained.
Although there were several other such health facilities in deprived communities that lack such amenities, he said, the two beneficiary facilities were selected because their impact would be significant to the communities.
He indicated that upon assessment of the criteria that the beneficiary community should have a sizable population with a good number of deliveries yearly and available trained staff to use the beds, the two health facilities were selected.
Dr Tettegah also noted that similar donations to two such deserving communities in other regions would be done every six months in support of healthcare delivery in the country.
“It is my wish with God’s blessing, to repeat this humanitarian gesture every six months to two such deserving communities in other regions of our nation,” he added.
He called on the beneficiary facilities to design an effective maintenance plan to ensure that the equipment were in good condition to serve patients and caregivers as well as enhance its lifespan.
“We don’t want it to become a white elephant in the facilities. Draw up a proper maintenance schedule to ensure the equipment is always in good condition so that our people can benefit from it,” Dr Tettegah stated.
Gifty Ofori Ansah, Director of Health, Ningo Prampram District, expressed gratitude to the donor for using his resources in support of rural communities which were mostly deprived of such equipment.
She noted that within the past few years, the District had recorded increased baby deliveries adding that, the equipment would help to improve safety.
She therefore pledged that the equipment would be properly maintained and used in support of the vulnerable members.
On his part, Richard Essien, Director of Health Service, Kwahu Afram Plains South District, said the donation was timely and help in dealing with poor access to facilities with baby delivery health services within the area.
He explained that the donation showed that key stakeholders in the health sector were concerned about efficient healthcare services and appealed for more support to address the equipment needs of health facilities in rural communities.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
