Four hospitals in the Upper East Region have each received over 100 boxes of German-made baby lotions for onward distribution to patients under their care including babies, their mothers and pregnant women.
The hospitals include the Bongo District Hospital, the AfriKids Medical Centre, the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital and the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital.
TEERE, a Bolgatanga-based Non-Governmental Organisation [NGO] with a national outreach, made the donation at separate brief ceremonies to these hospitals on Boxing Day.
TEERE is primarily, a local-governance-centered NGO which has since successfully implemented its flagship programmed christened “the TEERE Local Governance Forum” [TLGF], across three districts in the Upper East Region.
Chief Executive Officer [CEO] of TEERE, Professor Avea Nsoh who led staff of the NGO to do the various presentations revealed that, the consignment of the baby lotions was delivered to his outfit by the manufacturers, Mann & Schrὅder Cosmetics through the instrumentality of TEERE’s German partners, the Inter-NATIONAL CHILDREN Help e.V and the Senior Experts.
He further revealed that the about 20,000 pieces of baby lotions were among other assorted items that TEERE had earlier received and presented to the Bongo District Hospital.
These other items included 59 electronic beds with their side cabinets, ultra sound devices, wheel chairs, food trays as well as chairs and tables for office use.
He hinted that aside the package of assorted medical equipment and other supplies donated to the Bongo District Hospital much earlier, TEERE had also concluded arrangements to bring in medical experts from Germany by March 2019, to train staff of the hospital in the correct and effective operation of the equipment.
Professor Avea who was also one time a Regional Minister for Ghana’s Upper East and Upper West Regions, noted that, the baby lotions with brand name Sanosan Baby, were an excellent product for use by babies and young children especially during the harmattan season as the lotions give a gentle nourishment on sensitive and allergy-prone skins.
He said though TEERE’s core mandate was not to secure and distribute items of this nature, the dire need for such supplies by the poor in society as well as the lack of essential medical equipment required at the hospitals, all came to light during the implementation of the TLGF engagements in the communities.
According to him, TEERE appreciates the vital roles critical partners play in the realisation of set goals and programme objectives, therefore TEERE has over the period, worked in cooperation and coordination with the Municipal and District Assemblies as well as the Regional Coordinating Councils and other sister NGOs in the execution of its interventions.
He said for instance, his outfit had carried out monitoring and reported on the efficient use of the Disability Fund disbursed to members of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, GFDOs, across districts in the Upper East Region and that it did so, in partnership with the GFDOs and with the support of the Assemblies.
He added that with funding support from STAR Ghana, members of the GFDOs also received some trainings and capacity building from TEERE on the prudent use of the funds they received as well as to be able report any abuses in the management and disbursement of the Fund to appropriate authorities for necessary action to be taken.
Professor Avea observed that 2018 was a challenging year for his organisation in that, there was a lot to be done and yet, there was only just a few staff to get the work done in about five programme areas.
He said a review of the year’s work had been held about a week ago and that, there will likely be a scale-up of the successful activities carried out within the year while new sustainable projects with viable exit plans for beneficiary communities will be brought on board.
One such new intervention is a guinea fowl and piggery project that was being piloted in the Nabdam district targeted at helping rural poor women to earn some decent income to support their families. This will then be replicated in other areas after a successful outcome.
Meanwhile, TEERE is set to implement a new project commenced in October 2018 which will see its activities spread into additional four districts in Upper East, 16 districts in the Northern Region and about six districts in Upper West Region in the course of 2019.
At the Navrongo donation ceremony, Administrator of the War Memorial Hospital [WMH], Mr. Cletus Timbabuya Apiu commended TEERE for the gesture saying that, the hospital was under-resourced and needed certain essential equipment at the various departments to help save lives. He therefore appealed to the NGO to assist in retooling the hospital.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s Deputy Director-Nursing Services, Madam Rita Adda Ayisala disclosed that the hospital urgently needed a phototherapy machine for the treatment of babies born with jaundice, Oxygen Concentrators and Incubators to help in attending to the health needs of pre-time babies.
She called on other NGOs and philanthropists emulate the gesture by TEERE and come to the aid of the hospital.
Story by GBC’s Samuel Ayammah
