Dr. Koku Awoonor-Williams, Nkwanta District Director of Health Services has observed that child mortality would be rapidly reduced in the area if the people are sensitized and guided to support the work of nurses. He said research conducted in the Kassena-Nankana District found out that a project dubbed Community Based Health Planning and Services Initiative (CHPS) that ensured collaboration between nurses and the various communities resulted in 50 percent reduction in child mortality. Dr. Awoonor-Williams who was addressing the District Community Health Officers quarterly review and planning meeting at Nkwanta, said the project was being implemented in selected districts including the Nkwanta District. The District Director of Health Services, who is also the National Coordinator of the Initiative called for a replication of the Kassena-Nankana experience at other districts to ensure that Ghana achieved the Child Survival Millennium Development Goal to reduce child mortality by two-thirds by the year 2015. Dr. Awoonor-Williams explained that under the CHIPS, nurses were made to live in communities to provide clinical and immunization services. "Because they are living in communities, they provide accessible, inexpensive and comprehensive care that is otherwise lacking in remote deprived villages," Dr Awonoor-Williams stated. He expressed regret that community health compounds at Kue, Odumase, Chaiso in the district were yet to start operating because of lack of equipment. Ms. Stella Anku, District Coordinator of the Initiative said the District Referral System had saved several lives and appealed to government, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to assist the programmes with equipment. She said the Initiative would need motorbikes, bicycles, solar energy systems, vaccine carriers, cold boxes and fridges to facilitate its work. Mr. Adam Isaka, Nkwanta District Disease Control Officer expressed dissatisfaction that though the district had 19 CHPS zones only 13 were operating. Source: GNA