In a bid to address healthcare challenges in rural Ghana, particularly in the Pru East Constituency, Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Kwabena Donkor has commissioned a significant development project.

The unveiling of a solar-powered community-based health planning and services (CHPS) compound in Yawzu, a fishing community within the Komkomba Electoral Area, marks a pivotal moment for the residents of the area.

Costing four hundred and twenty-four thousand, four hundred and eighty-nine Ghana cedis (424,489,000), the project is strategically positioned to cater to approximately seven farming and fishing communities situated behind the Pru River.

Prior to the establishment of this facility, accessing healthcare meant crossing the river to Yeji, posing significant challenges and risks to residents.

During the commissioning ceremony, MP Dr Kwabena Donkor underscored the pressing need for state and development institutions to prioritise rural development initiatives, particularly in areas like Pru East. He highlighted the numerous challenges faced by residents, emphasising the importance of investing in and empowering rural communities.

“In our part of the world, there are a number of communities here in the electoral area who have no access to healthcare. Assuming somebody is sick and the river is boisterous, there are storms, they cannot cross. And so it becomes important that we have health workers resident in the area who can go from village to village,” he highlighted.

The inauguration of the CHPS Compound was met with overwhelming gratitude from its beneficiaries. Residents of the catchment area expressed their joy and appreciation for the project, recognising its potential to transform healthcare accessibility and outcomes in their communities.

“We are very excited for this new facility. Now we can access healthcare without crossing the river all the way to Yeji which came with several difficulties,” a resident stated.

The District Chief Executive Officer for the Pru East District, Mohammed Haruna, took the opportunity to call on government to supply adequate premixed fuel to the area.

Several communities across the Pru river also lack educational facilities and face the challenge of crossing the river, preventing several children from going to school, he noted.

Dr Kwabena Donkor, currently serving his final year in Parliament, said getting the community a school was his next priority.

The solar-powered community-based health planning and services (CHPS) compound in Yawzu, is a milestone serving as a testament to the commitment of leaders like Dr Kwabena Donkor to improving the quality of life for underserved populations in rural Ghana. As calls for further development interventions echo across the nation, initiatives like these stand as beacons of progress and hope for communities in need.