The Health Centre at Ziope, with an average monthly attendance of 1,500, now has a laboratory through a collaboration between community leaders and the District Assembly.

The Agotime-Ziope District Assembly (AZDA) put up the structure, while the Agbleza 2014 Committee, bought the equipment and furnishings and also paid for finishing of the block to meet standards.

“Agbleza,” meaning “Farm Festival,” is a yearly festival of the predominantly farming community.

Mr Godwin Keteku, Secretary of the Festival Planning Committee, told the Ghana News Agency that the estimated cost of equipment and other works was GHC16.000.00, which was from the anniversary coffers.

He said the decision for a laboratory was to save people the trouble of traveling kilometers away to conduct tests required for diagnoses, adding that the Health Centre, since it started operations 30 years ago, lacked a laboratory facility.

Mr Michael Kobla Adjaho, the Agotime-Ziope District Chief Executive, cut the tape to open the laboratory, accompanied by Togbe Binah Lawluvi VI, Paramount Chief of Ziope Traditional Area and Member of the Council of State.

The DCE said the laboratory was part of a grand design by the assembly, in collaboration with various partners, to provide vital infrastructure that would raise the living standards of the people.

He said the laboratory would provide important treatment linkages between the CHPS Compounds and the Health Centre.

Mr Adjaho said the assembly would construct an Out Patients’ shed for the health centre shortly.

The only health-centre in the district has a delivery ward, and supervised about 15 deliveries on the average every month, but has only three beds forcing some expectant mothers to sleep on the floor.