MP presents 50 anti-snake venoms to hospital, 70 street lights to schools

About 50 anti-snake venoms and 70 street lights have been presented to the Tumu municipal hospital and 4 schools respectively.

The items were presented by the Member of Parliament for Sissala East Constituency, Issahaku Amidu Chinnia.

The street lights were presented to Kanton Senior High School, Tumu Senior High Technical School, St. Clare's Vocational Institute, Tumu College of Education and office of the Municipal Education Directorate in the area.

Presenting the snake antivenoms, the MP stated that the livelihoods of most constituents depend on farming activities where issues of snake bites are been recorded more often on the farms.

He continued and said residents in such distressful situation find it difficult to access this vaccine. “just about two weeks ago, a life was lost due to snake a bite in the constituency, we have to take steps to see how we can help the Tumu Hospital and other facilities to ensure that, we are able to handle issues of snake bite on the constituency" he recounted.

The Tumu Hospital has often complained of lack of anti-snake venoms in their facility whenever victims of snake bites are brought to the facility for medical treatment.

To this end, the Issahaku Amidu Chinnia said “I have brought fifty pieces of anti-snake venom; I know a lot of the time when people are bitten by snakes it is not easy to access the anti-snake venom, my plan is that, thirty is kept in the main hospital, and some to other communities including Wellembelle (10), Nabulo (5) and Nabugubelle (5) health centres”.

He has however urged the authorities of the hospital to ensure the items benefit the very people for which they were procured for.

Reacting to the gesture, the Municipal Health Director, Mr. Alex Bapula stated that “for almost over a year now, our pharmacists can confirm that its been a very serious challenge with regard to anti-snake venoms.
So receiving such information from the MP was indeed welcoming”.
He added that this would save lives of farmers in the constituency.

Also, the Medical Superintendent of the Tumu Municipal hospital, Mr. Charles Wood appreciated the donation and noted that “the items have come at a time that, it is most needed, your willingness to help improve the health status of your people is well appreciated”.

He also promised to see to it that the items are put into their intended purpose to serve the best interest of victims.

Meanwhile, on the presentation of the street lights to the schools, the MP said there has arisen the need to illuminate the campuses of the educational institutions to prevent any form of criminal activities in the schools.

"It necessary to provide security to the young ones who are the potential leaders of our country. We have realized when you go round these institutions, you will realize the place is very dark putting the lives of these young ones in danger".

He has directed that Tumu College of Education, Tumu Senior High and Kanton Senior High Schools would each receive 15 street lights and whiles 10 would go to the Tumu St. Clare's Vocational Institute and 5 for the office of the Municipal Education Directorate.

The Municipal Assistant Director in Charge of Supervision, Mr Godfred Baveru Kanton, whiles welcoming the Lawmaker to the unit, said "for us as Ghana Education Service, it is the second time within the last two months he has to appear here to make a donation to us. He was here to give us tires for our vehicle and also supported us pay off the cost of our Nissan pickup which we are currently using”.

"It is when we are properly educated and can find jobs for ourselves we are sure of the development of the area”.

Also, the Deputy Municipal Director in Charge of Human Resource, Mr. Salifu Naliwie Baluwie, appreciated the gesture and noted that security is an important and basic component in the life of the schools.
“We are really grateful for the support so far we have received, we know going forward I’m very convinced that, we will do better than we are doing, the security of every place is very paramount if you happen to come here in the night is a bit scary, the provision of the lightening would go a long way to brighten up the place”.

On behalf of other colleague institutional heads, the Headmaster of Kanton Senior High School, Mr. Mohammed Luri Kanton, while expressing his gratitude to the Member of Parliament for the gesture said this would go a long way to help in the security arrangement of the school and provide adequate lightening around their campuses.

He has however called for the MPs support especially to attend to some uncompleted structures in the schools particularly Kanton Senior High School's Dinning hall, which he bemoaned that reconstruction works that were undertaken have since been halted leaving it uncompleted.