Very Rev. Fr. Hilary Pogbeyir, the Vicar General, on behalf of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, has commissioned and blessed a mechanised borehole to provide reliable water supply to St. Lucy Catholic Hospital located at Kpalsi, a suburb of Tamale.
The 40-bed health facility serves as the District hospital for the Sagnarigu Municipality which has a population of 191,582.
The borehole together with a poly tank worth GH¢35,000.00, was donated by Family Humanitarian Experience, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing clean and safe water to people and communities in need of portable water.
Speaking at a ceremony on December 21, 2023, to commission the project, the Vicar General said the Catholic Church is not only interested in evangelisation but also the promotion of human development which he insisted is an integral part of evangelisation.
He said it is in furtherance of this objective that the Church is involved in the provision of social services including health care for which reason St. Lucy Catholic hospital was established. He noted that wherever the Church exist, it prioritizes service to humanity to ensure the integral development of all persons without discrimination.
Unlike St. Lucy Catholic Hospital which he said have been “very lucky”, the VG disclosed that similar attempts in a number of Catholic institutions including Churches, were unsuccessful because the drillers could not hit water.
He, therefore, thanked the donors for the gesture and said the borehole will greatly help the hospital in its work against the backdrop of acute water shortage affecting many parts of the Greater Tamale Metropolis.
Mr. Emmanuel Fiagbedzi, the Country Manager of Family Humanitarian Experience said water plays a critical role in quality health care delivery, adding that without adequate and reliable water supply, no health facility can operate effectively hence their decision to come to the aid of St. Lucy Catholic hospital.
He said his organisation will not hesitate to support institutions whenever funds are available.
The Nurse Manager (Matron) of the hospital, Rev. Sr. Mary Assunta Zaagbeb, described the donation as, “timely” as it will greatly help them in their service delivery given the erratic water supply in the municipality.
She mentioned some of their other challenges such as lack of equipment to provide general anesthesia, lamenting that they are often compelled to refer patients to other facilities as a result of this challenge. She, therefore, appealed to philanthropists and groups for anesthetic machines and chemistry analysers.
She also appealed for support towards the construction of a maternity complex to ease congestion in their maternity ward, explaining that the project when completed, will enable them to provide quality maternal and child health care to mothers and their babies.
She also spoke of lack of an incinerator for effective waste disposal for which reason they rely on Zoomlion Ghana Limited for disposal of the waste they generate.
Mr. James Tinob, the Municipal Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) who also spoke during the ceremony, informed the general public that in addition to the app they launched some time ago which enables subscribers to renew their health insurance cards in the comfort of their homes, the Scheme also recently launched an app which enables subscribers who have the Ghana card to obtain digital health insurance cards.
He, therefore, entreated all and sundry to download and make use of the apps to fast track services and do away with the long queues in their offices.
He also stated that the month of December 2023, has been declared a “month of waiver” as part of the activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the NHIS, explaining that defaulters would benefit from a waiver when they renew their expired cards, adding that the renewed cards will become effective for use instantly.
He, therefore, urged the public to take advantage of the waiver window.
The Administrator of the hospital, Mr. Reynolds Awuah expressed gratitude and commended Family Humanitarian Experience as well as his staff for the supportive roles they play in delivering quality health care services to the public.
Other dignitaries present were Chief Abukari Karim, Botang-Naa of Kpalsi, Rev. Fr. Peter Donzing, Chaplain of the hospital, Mr. Clement Tengzah, the Archdiocesan Director of Catholic Health Service Trust – Ghana, Madam Carolina Maayar, who represented the Municipal Director of Health Services and Mr. Suleman Abdul Mumin, the immediate past Assemblyman of Kpalsi.
St. Lucy Catholic Hospital was commissioned as a Polyclinic on May 17, 2008 by the late Archbishop Emeritus of Tamale, Most Rev. Gregory Kpiebaya. It began operating as a mobile eye clinic under the management of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate congregation.
In 1987, some lay people and nurses joined the Sisters to provide primary health care services which was later expanded to include the provision of some specialized and curative services.
In May, 2022, the facility was upgraded to a primary hospital and currently provides outpatient department services, diagnostic investigation, maternal and child health, public health, theatre, medical outreach, ambulance services, pharmaceutical and other specialised services including eye, ear and nose as well as dental and mental health.
It currently has 2 medical doctors, 4 physician assistants, 2 nurse anesthetists, 43 general nurses, 25 midwifes and many health and other categories of staff.
Story & Photos: Francis E. Monnie
