By Celestine Avi
Residents of Bodom in the Bono East Region’s Nkoranza North Constituency are celebrating a major boost to local healthcare following the commissioning of a new maternity and children’s ward by the Lordina Foundation.
The facility, established in response to appeals from the community’s traditional leaders, is designed to enhance healthcare access for women and children.
The President of the Lordina Foundation, Mrs. Lordina Mahama, with her husband, former President and NDC Presidential Candidate Mr. John Mahama, inaugurated the facility. The ward is fully equipped with advanced medical technology and essential amenities, ready to serve the community.
As part of his broader vision for healthcare in Ghana, Mr. John Mahama has announced plans to expand health infrastructure and implement policies to improve healthcare delivery nationwide. He pledged to introduce Free Primary Healthcare services, covering Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compounds up to district-level facilities in the medium term. Additionally, Mr. Mahama plans to construct a 500-bed Specialist Children’s Hospital and Fertility Centre in Accra.
Through the Lordina Foundation, Mrs. Lordina Mahama has actively supported health facilities nationwide by providing essential medical supplies and equipment. The foundation has funded maternity and children’s wards in Nkoranza, Bono East Region, and Bole, Savannah Region. The latest addition, the Bodom Maternity & Children’s Ward, attached to the Bodom CHPS Centre, offers comprehensive maternal and neonatal care, including antenatal, delivery, and postnatal services.
Equipped with advanced medical technology, a backup generator, and a basement for offices and storage, the facility aims to provide dignity to mothers, children, and families. Mrs. Lordina Mahama emphasized that maternal health is a national priority that contributes to the well-being of families and communities.
“The newly built Bodom Maternity & Children’s Ward attached to the Bodom CHPS Centre will bring dignity to every mother, child, and family in this community. Maternal health is not just a woman’s issue—it is a national issue. When a mother receives quality healthcare, her child is more likely to survive, her family is more secure, and her community is stronger,” she said.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mr. John Mahama highlighted the urgent need for accessible healthcare facilities, especially for managing chronic conditions. He emphasized that an NDC government would implement the Ghana Medical Care Trust to support the management of chronic diseases like kidney disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and sickle cell. These conditions, he noted, are financially crippling families, and the goal is to alleviate their burden, allowing them to focus on healing rather than on medical bills.
Mr. Mahama specifically addressed the need for accessible dialysis centers for kidney disease, stating, “The status quo is worrying, and we intend to open dialysis centers across the country to ensure communities have access to these essential services. It seems we are facing a pandemic of kidney disease.”
The NDC Presidential Candidate also promised a community pharmacy model with routine health screenings to detect health conditions at early stages before they become chronic.
The Lordina Foundation remains dedicated to supporting orphans, vulnerable children, and women’s empowerment. It also engages in charitable activities, distributing food and educational materials to those in need, and is committed to building more maternity and children’s wards across the country.