KENYASE HEALTH CENTRE REHABILITATED (MIRROR, PAGE 35, DEC 24, 2010)

From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Kenyasi

Rehabilitation and upgrading works on the Kenyase Health Centre in the Asutifi District in the Brong Ahafo Region have been completed at a total cost of $85,000 and handed over to the district health administration.  
The project included re-roofing the building, extending water to the centre from the main Small Town Water System at Kenyase, providing water closet toilet facility as well as constructing new female and male wards and two nurses quarters.
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL), operators of the Ahafo Mine in the district, financed the project, in consultation with the District Assembly, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other stakeholders in the district’s health delivery.
Speaking at a ceremony to officially hand over of the new facility at Kenyase, the External Affairs Manager of NGGL, Mr Kojo Bedu-Addo, said it was the aim of the company to ensure a healthy and sustainable development of communities within the area of the mine concession.
He said NGGL’s assistance to the health centre was a demonstration of its commitment towards the promotion of quality health care delivery in the its host communities, adding that “We hope this contribution will go a long way to make health care more accessible to the community and at the same time, attract qualified health personnel to reside in the community.”
The External Affairs Manager said Newmont, in partnership with the GHS and other stakeholders such as the International Finance Company, had broadened the scope of education and prevention of malaria control through its treated bed net distribution programme in local communities and the workplace, saying the programme had been acknowledged world-wide.
Mr Bedu-Addo disclosed that the Global Business Coalition (GBC) on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria voted NGGL as a leading company in the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria prevention this year.
He explained that the world-wide coalition of 200 corporate organisations, including the United Nations (UN) and its affiliates such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), also voted the company’s work place HIV/AIDS and malaria programme as the best in the work place HIV/AIDS and Malaria category.
The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr D. Acquaye, noted that health issues were paramount in the effective development of any nation, hence the government’s intervention to provide the necessary infrastructure in the health sector.
However, he said, the central government could not shoulder the burden alone and, therefore, urged private individuals and groups to contribute their quota in the development of all facets of the economy.
Mr Acquaye commended the management of Newmont for the gesture and gave the assurance that the Assembly would contribute towards the maintenance of the facility in order to prolong its life span.