The Municipal Chief Executive for Suhum, Lydia Ohenewa, has emphasized the Assembly’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the municipality, pledging continued support for initiatives that enhance access to quality medical care, especially for children.
Speaking at the commissioning of a newly constructed Children’s Medical and Wellness Centre at the Suhum Government Hospital on Saturday, March 21, she stressed that the Assembly remains dedicated to building a resilient and inclusive health system where no child is denied proper care.
The facility, constructed and donated by the NGO Love Without Walls, was described as a major boost to pediatric healthcare in the area.
The MCE noted that the centre will ease pressure on existing facilities, improve service delivery, and contribute to better health outcomes for children across the municipality.
She expressed profound gratitude to the founder of the NGO, Dr. Hartford Dawson, for what she described as an extraordinary act of compassion and commitment.
She recounted that the project was inspired by his visits to the hospital’s children’s ward in 2014, where he witnessed firsthand the challenges facing healthcare delivery.
The MCE also commended the Ghana Health Service, the Municipal Health Directorate, hospital management, contractors, and volunteers for their collaborative efforts in bringing the project to fruition, describing the achievement as a testament to what can be accomplished through partnership and shared purpose.
However, the Deputy Director of Clinical Care at the Ghana Health Service in the Eastern Region, Dr. Samuel Borlabi, delivering a speech on behalf of the Eastern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Damien Punguyire, underscored the urgent need to prioritise child health across the region.
He noted that under-five mortality, neonatal complications, malnutrition, and preventable communicable diseases continue to pose serious challenges, stressing that children require timely, skilled care delivered in a dignified environment.
He emphasized that access to quality pediatric care at the municipal and district levels is not a luxury but a life-saving necessity, explaining that delays in reaching appropriate facilities can mean the difference between life and death.
Dr. Borlabi further highlighted that the newly commissioned facility will expand capacity for pediatric care in Suhum and its surrounding communities, reduce the burden on referral hospitals, and provide a more suitable environment for health workers to deliver quality services.
He added that the centre sends a strong message to families in the municipality that their children matter and deserve the best possible care.
The commissioning of the centre marks a significant step forward in strengthening healthcare services in the municipality, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for sustained efforts to address remaining gaps in the sector.
