After years of limited access to basic health services, Vume, a fishing community in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region, has finally received a much-needed CHPS compound to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve living conditions.
The newly commissioned Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound is expected to bring essential healthcare closer to residents, reducing the long and risky trips many have had to undertake, often across the Oti River, to seek medical attention.
For a community where river travel is part of daily life, the dangers involved in emergencies have been a major concern, especially for vulnerable groups.
For many residents, access to healthcare has remained a persistent struggle over the years, affecting overall wellbeing and slowing efforts to improve living conditions.
The commissioning of the facility marks a significant step in addressing these challenges and supporting the municipality’s progress toward universal health coverage.
The project, supported through the Assembly Common Fund, reflects the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly’s commitment to expanding health infrastructure in hard-to-reach communities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nkwanta South, Joseph Awal Antwi, said the CHPS compound would directly improve the lives of residents across the fishing communities.
He noted that enhancing healthcare delivery is a key part of broader national efforts to ensure health services are available and accessible to all.
According to him, in line with the vision of President John Dramani Mahama to achieve a universal healthcare system, the facility will help prioritize the health needs of the people and ensure timely access to basic medical care.
He urged community members to take responsibility for the maintenance and protection of the facility, and to support health workers who will be posted to operate the compound.
He emphasized that community cooperation will be essential to making the CHPS compound effective and sustainable.
In interviews with Adom News, residents expressed gratitude to the MCE, the Member of Parliament, and President John Mahama for responding to their long-standing concerns.
They highlighted the difficulties they have faced over the years, particularly pregnant women who often struggled to access care during emergencies.
With the CHPS compound now in place, community members say they are hopeful that preventable health complications will reduce, response times will improve, and families will no longer have to gamble with their lives in search of basic healthcare.
