C’ttee To Probe Crisis At Chinderi Clinic

THE Krachi West District Assembly has appointed a five-member committee to investigate and resolve the impasse between the Ntsumuru Youth Association (NYA) and the Catholic Church over which of them exercises control over an OPEC-funded health centre which was constructed in 2003 at Chinderi.

The committee which was set up under the Social Service Sub-Committee of the assembly has three weeks to submit its report to the assembly.

For some time now, there has been misunderstanding between the two over who controls the health centre which was constructed on a parcel of land owned by the Catholic Church where the St. Luke’s Clinic owned by the church is sited.

Whilst the Catholic Church wants to adopt the facility and upgrade it to serve the district, the NYA said it will not allow the church to control the health centre.

The health centre had to be constructed on the same parcel of land as the St. Luke’s Clinic because at the time, there was no land available for the project.

The Catholic Church is demanding the infrastructure to use it as residential accommodation for medical doctors, as well as theatre, laboratory and a rehabilitation centre for the disabled persons.

The move will qualify the clinic to be upgraded into a full hospital, and thereby give them a second hospital facility in the district, and as such make health service delivery accessible to the people.

The District Chief Executive, Douglas Koranteng, in his address to the assembly, expressed concern about the situation, which he said, if not handled with care could result in a conflict.

He therefore called on members of the assembly to ensure that peace prevails in the district.

Mr Koranten called on the assembly members to weigh all the merits in the ownership by the church which has the expertise to manage the place.

The DCE called for unity and understanding among the people, explaining that the facility is there to serve the entire people of the district.

Mr Koranten who conducted the press around to inspect the two facilities, was of the view that if the health centre is handed over to the Catholic Church, it will go a long way to improve health service delivery in the area.

Reverend Sister Agnes Anthony of the St. Luke’s Clinic, told the press that the clinic receives between 50 and 60 patients daily and sometimes admits about six people averagely.

She said the clinic has a 25-bed capacity but because of lack of facilities to expand and accommodate the medical personnel such as doctors, it was always a problem to get volunteers and this, she said, was affecting health delivery there.