Nurses appeal for facilities

Gomoa-Onyadze (C/R), March 2, GNA - Nurses at Gomoa-Onyadze Noguchi Memorial Clinic in the Central Region have made an appeal to the government

for the provision of funds to complete water-closet, and electricity facilities in the new semi-detached bungalows constructed by the Japanese government for the nurses. The actual constructional works on the project was completed in 2001,

but lack of toilet and electricity facilities in the new four houses has virtually prevented their early commissioning. Madam Vivian Okai, a principal enrolled nurse in-charge of the clinic told the Ghana News Agency at Gomoa-Onyadze last Friday that the situation has compelled some of the nurses to live at Apam, a distance of 10 kilometres and attend to business at Onyadze daily. Madam Okai said since the shuttling of Onyadze and Apam daily by the affected nurses poses a lot of risk on their lives, frantic efforts must be made to provide adequate funds for the total completion of the houses to

enable the nurses to move in. Further investigations by the GNA indicate that funds for the project got finished somewhere along the line, hence the inhabitants inability to put final finishing touches to the houses. On the operations of the clinic, Madam Okai commended nursing mothers in the area for effectively embracing the treated bednet system, adding that the practice has drastically reduced malaria cases in the 27 communities the clinic serves, particularly among children. She advised people in the area to maintain their interest in the treated bednets to protect them against malaria, which is one of the most dangerous diseases in the world.

According to Madam Okai, what pleases health workers at the clinic most is that inhabitants in the area heeded the advice offered them by the health personnel, who patrol the villages by ensuring strict adherence to domestic and environmental sanitation principles, which is the key to good health.

Madam Okai appealed to various development groups in the communities to continue to lead the people to conduct regular clean-up exercises to complement the efforts of the health personnel.