By: Valerius Atuimah
The Dachio CHPS compound received a transformative donation boost to redefine maternal and adolescent health for its 3,661 residents located in the Bolgatanga East District. The donation, valued at GHS 10,000, was spearheaded by Ms. Zaratu Abudu, a native of Dachio and a retired health worker in Ontario, California. Supported by the Alagumgube USA chapter, the donation included critical items such as a delivery bed, BP apparatus, Doppler, oximeter, veronica bucket, plastic chairs and a 32” television set for the facility’s adolescent counseling space. The contribution aims to augment healthcare delivery, specifically focusing on the community’s strained maternity services.
Handing over the medical equipment to the Dachio Chief and health officials, Ms. Abudu’s message was one of communal duty. She emphasized the organization’s commitment to supporting their home community from across the Atlantic.
The items were received by a high-profile delegation including the Ghana Health Service District Director, Madam Maria Mahama, and the Dachio Chief, Naaba Thomas Akalga II, who expressed profound gratitude to their “daughter” for the gesture.
While the donation provides immediate relief, it also shines a light on the infrastructure challenges facing the district. Madam Ahmed Halutie Ramatu, the Sub-district leader for Katanga South, highlighted the cramped conditions health workers endure daily. She noted that current labor units are often too small for midwives to comfortably conduct deliveries, limiting the options available for managing patients effectively.
The donation seeks to provide a safe haven where young people can learn about reproductive health and moral guidance.
“Our adolescents are the children at heart,” Madam Ramatu added. “We start with them when they are young… helping the girl child to grow up in a better way”.
As the community celebrates this GHS 10,000 investment, the Dachio community believes that while diaspora support is a vital lifeline, the journey toward a fully equipped maternity block continues.