His Royal Majesty Ohempong Dr. Yeboah Asiamah made the call at a Town Hall Meeting organized by the traditional council as part of this year’s ‘Foryawo’ yam festival of the chiefs and people of Atebubu.
The Omanhene stressed the importance of adherence to laid-down rules and regulations and assured them of the support of the traditional council in the performance of their duties.
Speaking on the topic “Communal Preventive Healthcare,” the acting Atebubu-Amantin municipal director of health, Dr. Osman Abdulai Musah, referred to the theme for this year’s celebration, “Pursuing Preventive Healthcare as a Pillar of Development in Atebubu: The Role of Communal Action,” and said this epitomizes the visionary leadership of the Omanhene.
He defined preventive healthcare as measures instituted by health authorities that seek to reduce the incidence of diseases, citing health education and vaccination as examples.
Dr. Osman drew similarities between some local rituals and ceremonies and orthodox preventive health practices, adding that pursuing effective preventive healthcare reduces the health budget and ensures a healthy and productive population for national development.
He enumerated the challenges facing preventive healthcare in the municipality, including lack of awareness on the subject, limited access to healthcare due to the existence of hard-to-reach communities, lack of logistics like motorbikes. Also, the high cost of screening for certain ailments.
The acting director therefore entreated the traditional council to support his outfit in its health promotion activities, especially in maternal and child care.
Dr. Osman also called for by-laws to control open defecation and the reinstitution of periodic communal labour to improve sanitation and reduce the incidence of diseases like cholera.
An appeal for funds in aid of the construction of a private ward at the Atebubu government hospital saw many donations and pledges from individuals, groups, and institutions.
An open forum saw participants asking a wide range of questions concerning the Fulani herdsmen menace, bushfires, armed robbery, scarcity, and the high cost of anti-snake serum. Waste management and the state of the fire tender of the Ghana National Fire Service.
Others touched on perceived unauthorized payments at the government hospital, medicines covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme, the deplorable state of the Atebubu-Yeji road as well as the damaging effects of tractor blades on roads in the municipality.
The traditional council as well as other relevant authorities took turns to address the concerns raised by the people.
The festival will climax on Saturday with a grand durbar, at which the Vice President Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumiah and other dignitaries as well as traditional authorities from across the country are expected to be present.