01-05-2010
Number of deaths as a result of road accident has increased dramatically in the Upper East Region. 13 persons have so far been killed through road crashes as at the end of the first quarter of the year. To this effect, the Regional Road Safety Commission with support from World Vision, Ghana has organized a sensitization workshop for the chiefs and people of Pwalungu, a community in the Talensi-Nabdam district. The programme which was aimed at educating motorists on the need to avoid road accidents was attended by a cross section of the public, motor and vehicle drivers, personnel from the police service and the press. Addressing participants, the Regional Road Safety Manager, Alexander Ayatah expressed dissatisfaction about the rate at which people are dying as a result of road accident in the region and called on the general public to join hands in fighting the menace. Mr. Ayata attributed the major causes of road carnage to common human error, fatigue and drunk driving, non-enforcement of laws regarding the usage of crash helmet as stipulated in the 2004 Road Safety Act (683). According to Mr. Ayata, the region as at the beginning of the year has recorded 650 percent rise in the number of deaths as against last year’s figure. He described the situation as unfortunate and worrying despite the numerous road safety campaigns organized in the region. He said the most affected people are the motor and bicycle riders who ride without crash helmets. Mr. Ayata told Radio Ghana that very soon the National Road Safety Commission would introduce into the country speed limits for all commercial vehicles operators since 23 percent of deaths in Ghana are occupants of buses, with 70 percent of men being the most affected. He expressed the hope that the initiative if introduced would help in reducing the rampant road accidents in the country. He tasked the populace to report reckless drivers to the police for appropriate action to be taken. Mr. Ayata also called on individuals and organizations to partner effectively with the Road Safety Commission and its relevant stakeholders in ensuring sanity on our roads to help save life and property, stressing that road safety is a shared and collective responsibility.
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01-05-2010 Presentation of Solar Lamps to health facilities
The Upper East Regional Health Directorate has taken delivery of one hundred Solar Lanterns and four Vestfrost Vaccine fridges for distribution to the various health facilities across the Region. Beneficiary centres include CHP Compounds, clinics, and maternity units of hospitals among other health centres. The donation valued at the cost of 74,000 Ghana cedis is being spearheaded by SINGh-Ghana, a subsidiary of Afrikids in partnership with Northlite Solar, a locally based Renewable and Sustainable Solar Services Provider. The presentation funded by the Australian High Commission was aimed at improving health care delivery in various health centres at the rural communities. It is also to provide alternative source of energy to community nurses to enable them contribute meaningfully towards the development of human resources at the community level. Receiving the items, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Koku Awoonor -Williams thanked the donors for their contribution towards improving better health for the people in the region. Dr Awoonor-Williams indicated that 45 health facilities in the region had earlier on benefited from the directorate’s package of solar lamps. This he said forms part of the directorates’ effort to improving working environment and equipment situation at the various facilities. Additionally, 27 compounds are receiving service delivery equipment package including beds from the Ghana Health Services. The initiative is in line with the service policy to strengthen CHP Compounds capacity to deliver community based essential health services to the public. Dr. Awoonor Williams pledged his outfit’s unflinching support for the young community health officers manning the various CHP Compounds across the region to enable them stay at post without travelling long distances to access light. Dr Awoonor-Williams also expressed the directorates mandate to achieving zero maternal mortality at the various health facilities through capacity building of CHP nurses and compounds among others. He emphasized that the training of health staff and upgrading of health infrastructure and equipments would be taken into consideration to effectively enhance health care delivery in the region. The Australian High Commission Representative, Mr. Frank Adabre in his presentation said the Australian High Commission is committed to bringing more facilities to the region if the solar lamps and torch lights are used efficiently.
GBC END IA/SAND
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