THE UPPER East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, has described the region as the biggest beneficiary of health care delivery projects undertaken by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration under the ‘Agenda 111’.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information’s ‘Meet-the-press Series’ on the state of the region in Accra yesterday, he said the government, as part of efforts to make health a priority for Ghanaians, has invested heavily in health care delivery apart from other novel programmes such as the provision of infrastructure and logistics and the training of skilled personnel.
He said “As a government, which prioritises the health of the people, we have invested a lot into the health sector through the training and recruitment of skilled personnel, provision of infrastructure and logistics to facilitate healthcare delivery in the country and for that matter, the region. This has enhanced our health service delivery at all levels.”
“Also, ongoing is the construction of the district hospitals dubbed Agenda 111. The region is benefitting 8 of such projects, which when completed, would further accelerate health services delivery in the region,” he noted.
The 60-bed hospitals, are all under construction with the least completion state of between 17 and 65 percent complete in Bolgatanga East, Nabdam, Binduri, Garu, Tempane, Pusiga, Kasena Nankana West and Builsa South.
According to the 2021 Population and Housing census, the region has 11 districts with Bolgatanga as the capital with a population of 1,301,221.
According to the minister, other health care delivery projects which have also opened the frontiers of the region included the Vobsi Zipline Centre, which is providing services to a total of 286 health facilities in the region making the region the biggest beneficiary of their services.
On road projects in the region, Mr. Yakubu said until the President’s declaration of ‘Year of Roads’, the region recorded significant losses of foodstuffs in the hinterlands due to the inability of vehicles to convey such foodstuffs to the urban centers, while the lives of expectant mothers were lost in the process of transporting them to nearby health facilities.
He stated that government has subsequently embarked on the construction of various feeder roads and bridges with some over 75 percent at completion stage to address the situation since 2018.
He added that “Spot Improvement of Kulbia-Yebongo Feeder Road & Others (22.21km), Spot Improvement of Zamsa – Gobsa – Chansa F/R (7.10Km), Spot Improvement of Yorogo – Dua – Bogrigo F/R (5.30Km) and Spot Improvement of Gbedema – Kunkwa – Seniesi F/R Ph. II (Km 4.00- 7.00).”
BY Ebenezer K. Amponsah
