Odawna CHPS appeals for urgent support after floods destroy medical equipment
The Odawna Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compound in Accra, has appealed for urgent assistance after Monday’s floods destroyed essential medical equipment, patient records, and other vital materials.
This resulted in the disruption healthcare delivery to thousands of residents and traders in the area.
The floods, triggered by heavy rains on Monday morning, submerged large sections of the Odawna enclave near the Rubber Market at Circle.
The disaster also coincided with a fire outbreak that destroyed more than 200 shops and stores in the market.
Ms Bernice Azumah, Senior Community Health Nurse at the facility, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday that flooding had become a recurring challenge whenever there was heavy rainfall.
The CHPS compound, which served more than 5,000 people within the market and surrounding communities, had repeatedly suffered significant losses despite numerous appeals for intervention, she said.
“We lose almost everything whenever the place floods. This time, our blood pressure machines, books, patient records and other important documents have all been destroyed,” she said.
Ms Azumah noted that the destruction of the equipment and records would adversely affect the facility’s ability to provide quality primary healthcare services unless urgent support was received.
She said the facility attended to an average of 15 clients daily, providing essential services such as family planning, child welfare clinics, immunisation, antenatal care and treatment of minor ailments.
She expressed concern that the recurring floods continued to endanger the safety of both health workers and patients while disrupting access to healthcare in one of Accra’s busiest commercial centres.
According to her, despite repeated appeals over the years, no lasting solution had been implemented.
She recalled that the Member of Parliament for the constituency, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, had previously indicated that the frontage of the building would be elevated to reduce flooding.
“We have made several appeals in the past, but our situation remains unchanged. We are pleading with the government, development partners, corporate organisations and philanthropists to come to our aid so that we can continue serving the community,” she said.
Ms Azumah also appealed for measures to improve drainage and strengthen flood-control systems around the facility to prevent future destruction of medical equipment and disruptions to healthcare services.
The latest flooding has once again highlighted the vulnerability of critical public facilities within the Odawna basin, where perennial floods continue to destroy property and disrupt economic and social activities whenever heavy rains occur.
Source: GNA