On Friday, 22 November, First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo officially commissioned a new Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound in Gboloo Kofi, located in the Akuapem North District of the Eastern Region.
The ultra-modern facility, funded by her Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation, aims to enhance access to quality and equitable healthcare services for residents of the community.
The First Lady highlighted that the entire subdistrict, with a population of over 30,000 people, was only served by three health facilities, placing significant pressure on these resources and limiting access to healthcare. In response to this challenge, her foundation took the initiative to raise funds and construct a new CHPS compound to meet the growing health needs of the Gboloo Kofi community.
During her remarks at the inauguration, Akufo-Addo emphasized the importance of community involvement in maintaining the facility. She urged residents to take good care of the health facility and its equipment, stressing the role of collaboration between the community and healthcare workers to ensure its success.
“I wish to urge you and the community to collaborate with the health workers to take good care of the facility and the equipment,” she stated. “I also urge the community to patronize the services provided here.”
Sammy Awuku, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the area, also spoke at the event, vowing to complement the First Lady’s efforts by ensuring internet access at the facility to improve service delivery. He further committed to implementing an incentive scheme for health workers in remote areas and addressing connectivity issues in the region if elected as Member of Parliament.
“When I become the MP, I will institute an outstanding reward scheme for health workers who work in remote parts of the constituency to serve as motivation,” Awuku promised. “It will also be my responsibility to ensure that issues with the network in this area are fixed.”
Regina Akweley Klutse, the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer at the Akuapem North Municipal Health Directorate, expressed her gratitude to the First Lady and assured that the new CHPS compound would effectively serve its intended purpose. She also emphasized that the community would uphold a strong maintenance culture to ensure the facility’s sustainability.
The inauguration of the CHPS compound marks a significant step toward improving healthcare access in Gboloo Kofi and surrounding communities, addressing pressing health challenges and contributing to the well-being of the residents.