Kekelapare residents convert bedroom into makeshift health facility amid lack of infrastructure

Residents of Kekelapare in the Bankpama Electoral Area of the Wa West District have converted a private bedroom into a makeshift health facility for their Mobile-CHPS (Community-based Health Planning and Services) program.

Community members say the decision was born out of necessity due to the absence of a proper health post in the area. According to them, the room offered temporarily by a resident, has become the only available space where the mobile nurse can provide healthcare services.

"The nurse is expected to come and take care of the place, but it’s not a suitable facility. If the house owner decides to reclaim the room, we’ll be left with nowhere to access health services," said Mr. Kyele Dari, a resident, in an interview with Info Radio.

The residents further lamented the long distances they must travel, often on foot to the Wechiau District Hospital to receive even the most basic medical attention. They said the journey is not only exhausting but also dangerous, especially for the elderly, pregnant women, and children.

Adding to their plight is the poor state of the roads connecting Kekelapare to other parts of the district. Residents say the deplorable conditions of the roads delay access to emergency medical care and worsen the already dire health situation in the community.

Madam Kote Tuntenga, another resident, expressed frustration over the lack of essential medical supplies.

“There are no drugs at the facility. Even when the nurse comes, there’s little they can do without medication,” she stated.

The community is appealing to the government and relevant health authorities to urgently intervene by constructing a proper health facility and improving the road network to ensure timely and effective healthcare delivery.