Ellembelle: Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the Member of Parliament for Ellembele Constituency, has commissioned a state-of-the-art Community-Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compound in Santaso, a farming community located in the northern part of the Ellembelle District. This new facility is expected to significantly ease the challenges faced by residents who previously had to travel long distances to receive medical care.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Buah, who is also a former Minister for Energy, emphasized his commitment to improving healthcare accessibility for the people of Ellembelle during the commissioning ceremony. He highlighted that establishing healthcare infrastructure has been one of his primary goals since taking office in 2009. The MP proudly noted his contributions to the health sector, which include the establishment of numerous CHPS compounds, clinics, and health centers throughout the district.

Mr. Buah acknowledged the previous lack of accessible roads and healthcare facilit
ies, which contributed to high maternal mortality rates in remote areas before his tenure. He also expressed plans to upgrade the newly commissioned CHPS compound in Santaso to a clinic in the future. Additionally, he assured residents that road construction projects, which had stalled after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) went into opposition, would soon resume.

Dr. Augustine Kwesi Amoako, the Ellembelle District Director of the Ghana Health Service, praised Mr. Buah for his significant role in enhancing healthcare delivery in the region. He mentioned that under the World Health Organization’s policy of Universal Health Coverage, every town and village should have access to primary healthcare services by 2030. Dr. Amoako noted that Ghana is making concerted efforts to achieve this goal through the CHPS initiative and commended Mr. Buah’s dedication to healthcare.

During the commissioning event, the Community Health Committee Members of the Santaso CHPS Compound and Community Health Volunteers were i
naugurated. Madam Dorcas Amoah, a midwife at the Santaso CHPS Compound, noted that the facility would play a crucial role in addressing cholera outbreaks in the region, which have resulted in two fatalities and one suspected case at St. Martin De Porres Hospital in Eikwe. She urged the community to practice regular handwashing, consume hot food, and maintain cleanliness.

Nana Etwe Kpanyinli, Chief of Aiyinasi, through a speech delivered by Safohene Nana Kanra Kwaw, applauded the MP’s efforts in improving healthcare services and encouraged the community to support Mr. Buah in bringing further development to the area. Nana Marfo, the Odikro of Santaso, expressed gratitude to Mr. Buah for alleviating the need for residents to travel long distances to access medical facilities in Aidoo Suazo, Aiyinasi, and Eikwe.