US Ambassador to Ghana; Stephanie S. Sullivan has emphasized her country’s renewed commitment to the environment and climate change.
The Ambassador who was speaking at the opening of a solar electricity project for the Dawia CHPS compound in the Ashanti region highlighted the need to protect the environment.
She was grateful to PEG Solar Ghana; the implementing partner, and revealed that similar projects were being replicated in 54 other communities in hard-to-reach communities within the region.
“In communities like Dawia, stable energy can be a literal lifeline, allowing mothers to receive high-quality healthcare services 24/7 and preserving the integrity of the cold chain for vaccine storage. It’s expected that more than 7, 300 Ghanaians will benefit from the extended services”, she revealed.
She also encouraged the hardworking staff of the facility to continue to do their best to save lives.
Zipline makes three drops
Zipline, in the course of the programme made three drops of essential medication; spectacles that excited the crowd. The US Ambassador to Ghana praised their work and recalled her presence at the launch of Zipline’s drone Centre at Asante Mampong.
A staff of the CHPS compound picking up a package dropped by Zipline via drone
District Health Director recounts problems
Mr. Felix Delle; District Health Director for the Sekyere Affram Plains District expressed great appreciation for the solar project which he said will help save more lives and make life bearable for the workers at the facility. He explained that the district, though the largest in the Ashanti region, was among the most deprived. “The communities have sparsely dispersed settlements with 500 people or less per community”. He further recounted how some communities get cut off during the rainy season. He stated that the District lacks all systemic inputs needed for effective medical delivery; a situation he said has made the place unattractive to qualified medical professionals.
He revealed that 75% of delivery in the district is conducted by unskilled attendants leading to high death rates.
He lamented that many lives are being lost as a result of the lack of electricity. “The lack of power affects preservation and storage of drugs, operations of equipment, cold chain” and was thankful that in the case of Dawia, patients will no longer be turned away at night.
Mr. Felix Delle is District Director for Sekyere Affram Plains
MP calls on US embassy to adopt town
Member of Parliament for the area; Hon. Adomako Mensah who was also present at the event was grateful for the recognition by the US embassy. He pled with the embassy to adopt one community and support its development as the needs of the residents are dire.
MP for the area assisting the US Ambassador to Ghana at the ribbon cutting ceremony
Emotional chief appeals for incentives for health workers in rural areas
The Chief of Dawia; Nana Abraham Mahama was emotional and grateful to the US embassy for taking cognizance of their remote village and rallying to their aid.
He pled for incentives for health workers to keep them at post in the area and ensure necessary resources are available for them to work with. He cried over the high mortality rate in the area.
He also lamented the poor road network in the area as well as the lack of electricity. “Poles have been erected for two years now but we do not know when we will have power” he cried and also called for help to resolve the community’s water problems and non-existent mobile network in the area.
PEG Solar Ghana
Country Director for PEG Solar Ghana; Nick Pearson stressed the importance of environmentally friendly, renewable energy. He emphasized the commitment of his organization to reach out to more hard-to-reach communities with their renewable energy solutions and gadgets. He recounted how his organization was touched by a story of two midwives in a CHPS compound who used light from their phone torchlights to deliver babies. He hoped that with the intervention of the programme, the use of phone torches for deliveries will become a thing of the past. He praised the dedication of the local health workers and encouraged them to remain steadfast in their commitment.
Nick Pearson is Country Director of PEG Solar Ghana; implementing partners of the programme
Residents
Residents of the community were full of appreciation to the US government for considering their plight. They said the project will help many considering the fact that the CHPS compound serves close to ten communities. They appealed for better roads, mobile telephony network and connection to the national electricity grid.
Patients visiting the Dawia CHPS compound
About Power Africa
Power Africa is a U.S. Government-led partnership that harnesses the collective resources of over 170 public and private sector partners to double access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, add at least 30,000 megawatts (MW) of new electricity generation capacity, and 60 million connections by 2030. Since 2013, Power Africa has helped bring over 4, 000 MW of cleaner and more reliable power generation and first-time electricity to over 88 million people across sub-Saharan Africa. This newly generated power is now electrifying health facilities and energizing national and sector-level strategies to rebuild more effectively and stronger than before.
About USAID
USAID is the lead U.S. government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. USAID’s activities and strategic pertnerships support Ghana’s journey to self-reliance and advances an integrated approach to development. It promotes accountability, sustainable systems, and inclusive development.
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