New vehicles, motorbikes for health directorates in U/E

Nine Municipal and District Directorates of Health Services in the Upper East Region, have each received a double cabin pick-up vehicle, to promote health in the region.

The vehicles and 82 motorbikes also for the directorates, all valued at 726,000 US Dollars were released for the Nutrition and Malaria Control for Child Survival Project Programme.

It is a Project of Ghana Health Service (GHS), Ministry of Health and World Bank aimed at enhancing effective health delivery in the region.

The scheme seeks to support effective delivery of health services with focus on nutrition and malaria control and other essential health-related interventions.

Dr Koku Awoonor-Williams, Regional Director of Health Services, presented the vehicles and motorbikes to the beneficiary institutions at Bolgatanga.

He commended the World Bank, UNICEF and WHO for supporting health delivery in the country.

Dr. Awoonor-Williams said the provision of the means of transport came when over 112 unserviceable motorbikes and 14 vehicles parked at the GHS regional directorate were to be disposed of through auction sale.

He said: "This means that almost all our Municipal, District and sub-district transport systems need considerable revamping to cope with service expectations".

Dr. Awoonor-Williams urged beneficiary institutions to use the means of transport for health delivery and not symbols of office and social functions.

Dr George Amofa, Deputy Director General of the Ghana Health Service, said the donation would assist the health sector to achieve the Millennium Development Goals on health.

Madam Rufina Asure, Director of Health in charge of the Bongo District, thanked the donors and management of the Regional Health Directorate for providing the vehicles and motorbikes.