Philanthropist puts up 900k OPD; Theatre for Chiraa Health Centre

Residents of Chiraa and its adjoining towns in the Sunyani West District of the Bono region will no longer have to travel miles to the Sunyani Government Hospital for healthcare.

That’s because the town can now boast of a well-furnished Outpatient Department and a retooled emergency theatre at the Chiraa Health Centre

The nine hundred thousand cedis (GHc900, 000) facility was built and fully funded by Mr Obed Asante, a native of Chiraa who doubles as the Chief Executive of the Ghana Nuts Company.

The farming towns of Kobedi, Buoku, Esuokwaa, Akwaaesua and Tonom in the Chiraa Township in the Sunyani West District in the Bono Region have since the 1970s depended on the Chraa health centre which was commissioned in 1973.

The facility built to take care of some 3000 people at the time has been overstretched as the population has grown to some 30 thousand

The centre has however not had its full compliments of staff,, equipment and a befitting infrastructure often forcing health workers at Chiraa to transfer cases to the Sunyani Government hospital miles away from Chraa.

The town folk can now heave a sigh of relief with the construction of an outpatient department, two well furnished consulting rooms and an emergency theatre fitted with Anaesthesia Machines, monitors, theatre beds and stretchers.

Mr Obed Akwasi Asante has also donated an ambulance and constructed a water system to generate income to maintain facilities at the health centre.

Addressing the commissioning of the facility, the Paramount chief of Chiraa Barima Minta Aferi the second bestowed the title ‘Boaman’ on the sole financier to encourage the spirit of collective communal help among the people of Chiraa.

Recounting his inspiration for taking up the initiative, Boaman Obed Asante Krobea expressed need for successful Ghanaians to support the developmental drive of the nation by giving back to their native communities.

He told reporter Ivan Heathcote – Fumador, “As an entrepreneur, I will advise my colleagues to give back to their communities because government cannot do it all.

“That is what is done in Europe and other developed countries. It is nice to have everything but you can’t spend so much,” he advised.

Medical superintendent of the health facility Derrick Kumi Frimpong indicated that the health facility falls within his vision to transform the Chraa Health Centre into a centre of excellence capable of offering adequate health care to its catchment areas.

He pointed out, “From day one when I came to this facility, I told them it has to be a facility of excellence. Sometimes doctors can save lives but we are constrained because we simply do not have the equipments to work. When I discussed with Mr Asante, he was willing to help us and we really appreciate what he has put up for us.”

Residents in the towns expected to benefit from the hospital were full of gratitude for the project but cautioned staff of the hospital to conduct their duties with professionalism.

“We are farmers and the risk of injury and snake bites here are very rampant. We no longer have to go all the way to Sunyani in critical conditions. What Obed has done for us means a lot to us,” a clearly grateful woman farmer indicated.

An elderly man told GHOne News, “Moving from Chiraa to Sunyani is about 12 miles and we could lose lives when someone is referred. But we can now have access to healthcare here and we are hoping that this place is upgraded soon into a government hospital.”

Mr Obed Asante’s philanthropic work has also benefited the Holy family hospital where a paediatric unit has been adopted and the fire service in Techiman which has taken delivery of a new fire tender.

By: Ivan Heathcote – Fumador