Nangodi: The Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in collaboration with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), has renovated 29 health facilities in Northern Ghana to enhance maternal and child healthcare delivery. The renovated facilities, located across 10 districts in the Upper East, Northern, Savannah, and North East Regions, were officially handed over to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) during a ceremony at the Nangodi Health Centre in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, in the Upper East Region, six facilities benefitted from the renovations, including the Nangodi Health Centre, Pelungu Healthcare, and Zogabre CHPS Compound in the Nabdam District, along with Datuko, Wakii, and Tenzuk in the Talensi District. Similar renovations were completed in nine facilities in the Northern Region, six in Savannah, and eight in the North East Region.
The refurbishments, carried out under the Holistic Opportunities for Positive Engagement in Maternal and Child Health (HOPE-MCH) project funded by LDS, included essential structural improvements. These included roofing, tiling, office partitioning, disability-friendly walkways, rewiring, and installation of WASH infrastructure.
Dr Francis Gumah, Head of Programmes at CRS, stated that the initiative aimed to improve access to inclusive healthcare for women, children, and underserved communities. He highlighted that the project not only equipped the health centers with modern facilities but also constructed pavilions and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure.
Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, noted that the project aligns with the goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030. He provided statistics from the first quarter of 2025, indicating antenatal attendance at 64.1 per cent, skilled delivery at 61.4 per cent, and postnatal care at 29.5 per cent. He expressed optimism for improvement with the enhanced infrastructure.
Mrs Estella Opoku, Head of Midwifery at the Ministry of Health, urged health workers to maintain professionalism and empathy in service delivery. She acknowledged the facilities as vital centers for healing and thanked CRS and its partners for their support of maternal healthcare.
Mr Francis Yenwoma Tobig, the Nabdam District Chief Executive, praised CRS for its enduring support in health and education and committed to maintaining the facilities. Naab Sapaat Namalteng, Chief of Kongo, representing the traditional authority, expressed appreciation and assured community support for safeguarding the facility.