We Take Some Responsibility for Non-Functional CHPS Compounds – Segbefia

A former minister for Health, Alex Segbefia, has conceded that the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration should be held responsible for some of the non-functional CHPS compounds in the country.

According to him, a major reason for the sad state of affairs, was the lack of accommodation for staff.

Mr. Segbefia said for most of the projects undertaken, no budgetary allocation was made for the construction of accommodation facilities.

He explained further that, the government had thus decided to find alternative sources of funding to begin the construction of accommodation facilities.

He noted that, while some were completed and had been put to use, others were not operationalized because the previous government did not find money to set up accommodation facilities.

“We take responsibility for it… There was no infrastructure there in the first place so what we did when we realized that was to begin to collate all the CHPS compounds in the country that had not got accommodation or haven’t got equipment because the equipment is also another thing,” he said.

“There are a number of them that are dysfunctional because there were those that actually had accommodation. You have the accommodation on top and the clinic below…Once the accommodation is there, most of the staffing issues will be resolved because you can send the community health nurses there.”

Segbefia noted that, the previous government developed specific guidelines for the construction of CHPS compounds to prevent them from being abandoned.

UG was supposed to manage Medical Centre – Segbefia

On the UG Medical Centre, Alex Segbefia stated that, the University of Ghana had from the onset, been tasked to handle the management of the $217m Medical Centre.

According to him, the second phase of the project, which was expected to cost about 48 million dollars would be paid for by the University after an agreement was reached for the institution to guarantee the loan.

This, he said, meant that the University would be responsible for the payment of the loan for that phase of the project, and handle the running costs of the hospital after five years.

Abandoned projects

Citi News has in the last few weeks put the spotlight on abandoned and non-functional health projects and facilities in the country.

More than 16 projects have been found not to be in use for various reasons including lack of health personnel.

The Volo health facility in the North Tongu district of the Volta Region had been non-functional since the day it was colourfully commissioned.

The Ofankor health facility is also part of numerous facilities which has been completed, but remains unused.

CHPS compounds at Tetegu and Teshie are also yet to be put to use.

Other ones that have been reported by Citi FM are the $217 million University of Ghana Medical Centre and the Bank of  Ghana Hospital.

Source: Citifmonline