The Member of Parliament for Agotime Ziope in the Volta Region has revealed that only about 5% of Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compounds across the country are equipped to standard.

Charles Agbeve grieved that the remaining 95% lack basic equipment, threatening the effective quality healthcare delivery and the implementation of the proposed Free Primary Healthcare Policy.

He mentioned this at Akpokofe, where he presented medical laboratory equipment worth Gh₵120,000 to furnish a structure constructed for the community CHPS Compound by the Council of Ewe Associations in North America (CEANA).

“I am on the Health Committee of Parliament, which was tasked to undertake a survey and assess the feasibility of the Free Primary Healthcare Policy. What we identified was that only 5% of CHPS compounds in Ghana are equipped to deliver quality healthcare”, he said.

Retooling measures

He explained that the government has put in stringent measures to retool the CHPS compound to position the health sector to meet the demands of residents and the Free Primary Healthcare Policy.

“Most of them need retooling, which cannot be catered for by the 100 million Ghana Cedis allocated in the budget for the Health Ministry. So, we will have to allocate the money again next year”, he stressed.

Mr. Agbeve said it was for this reason that he invested funds into providing the logistics for the Akpokofe CHPS Compound in preparation for it to be upgraded to a Health Center.

“So if Akpokofe has constructed a lab and bought machines to furnish it, then we are ready for Free Primary Healthcare”, he said to the applause of the residents.

He hinted at lobbying the Health Ministry to provide more equipment to enhance care delivery and “make the facility 100% ready for the Free Primary Healthcare Project.”

He reaffirmed his commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the Agotime Ziope Constituency, especially at the community level, so people have the best of treatment.

Health Directorate’s appreciation

The Agotime Ziope District Health Director, Emmanuel Awine Ayamga, acknowledged the self-initiative by the Akpokofe Community to finance the construction of the laboratory facility led by the Agotime Development Association.

He also lauded Council of Ewe Associations in North America (CEANA) for their support in bringing the vision to reality, and the Mr. Agbeve, expressing optimism about the initiative's contribution to improve care delivery in the enclave.

“And when it was built, the next thing was where are we going to get the equipment. So we started lobbying and finally we went to our MP, who decided that he was going to take care of all the equipment that would be needed in the facility to make it functional”.

Agotime Development Association’s message

The Spokesperson of the Agotime Development Association, Raymond Elikem Agbo, chronicled how the idea was hatched and came to fruition aiming to ensure a healthy community.

He entreated people in the Agotime enclave to hold on to the communal spirit and contribute towards the development of the traditional area.

He appreciated efforts by the community members, CEANA, Mr. Agbeve, and all other stakeholders “who contributed to the establishment of the Akpokofe Laboratory.”