Three groups of citizens from Suma have presented laboratory and other hospital equipment to the Suma Ahenkro Presbyterian Health Centre in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region.

According to the Suma Citizens Abroad, Suma Professional Network, and Suma Agricultural Cooperative Society, the items worth GH¢150,000 are to help improve healthcare delivery for the people in the communities.

The items include a centrifuge, water bath, electronic weighing balance, microscope, electronic incubator, and HB electrophoresis machine.

The rest are a blood roller, haematology analyzer, blood bank refrigerator, air conditioner, laboratory chair, and printer, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the groups at a durbar to unveil the equipment, Asum Kwarteng Ahensan said the health centre had no laboratory equipment for its operations, a situation that was affecting the work of the health staff and effective delivery of healthcare, hence the decision of their members, home and abroad, to alleviate the challenges to the benefit of the people. 

“We hope that the facility managers would ensure proper maintenance”, he said and urged residents not to wait until the point of death before seeking healthcare at the health centre.

“We bought these items because of the people, so visit the hospital when you are not well so that you could be cared for and referred to higher facilities when required on time”, he added. 

Kwarteng Ahensan said they have plans to collaborate with the government, Presbyterian Health Services, and the District Assembly to upgrade the health centre to a hospital status and even extend support to other sectors, including education.

The Laboratory Technician for the Suma Ahenkro Health Centre, Edward Yaw Sarkodie, said the facility was losing its clients to other facilities in and outside the district because they lacked the equipment to meet their laboratory needs, hence, getting their laboratory stocked with modern equipment is a welcoming news.

The Omanhene of the Suma Traditional area, Odeneho Dr Afram Brempong, commended the groups for their kind gesture and admonished his subjects to take sanitation and hygiene seriously to reduce illness in the area.

He, however, strongly disagreed with the notion created by the National Health Insurance Scheme that Ghanaians are not paying enough premiums.

According to him, aside from the premium, Ghanaians are indirectly contributing to the scheme through the NHIS levy on goods and services and claimed it is rather the managers of the fund who are not using it for the intended purpose, hence the impression that Ghanaians are not paying realistic premium.