Residents of Kojina Essakrom in the Sefwi-Wiawso Municipality of the Western North Region, Ghana, have been spared a four to five-kilometre journey to access basic healthcare with the commissioning of a new Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound. The facility was opened on October 6, 2026, and aims to provide essential healthcare services to the community. For years, residents had to travel long distances to seek medical attention, which was particularly challenging for pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
The new CHPS compound includes a three-bedroom accommodation for nurses and other facilities intended to support the provision of basic healthcare services. Residents who spoke at the commissioning welcomed the facility but expressed concerns that its availability must translate into reliable healthcare services. They want the facility to have the necessary health personnel, medicines, and equipment to ensure they do not have to travel outside the community when they need basic medical care.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Sefwi-Wiawso, Dominic Gyasi, said the project forms part of efforts to improve access to healthcare in communities across the municipality. He urged the Ghana Health Service to ensure the facility is properly utilised for the benefit of residents. The project began on November 28, 2025, when the chiefs and the Sefwi-Wiawso Municipal Assembly cut sod for the project.
The Acting Municipal Health Director, Rebecca Armoo, said bringing healthcare closer to residents could encourage people to seek medical attention earlier. She said the facility would help reduce the difficulty residents face in accessing basic healthcare. The CHPS compound is expected to have a positive impact on the community, particularly for those who previously had to travel long distances for medical care.
The Member of Parliament for Sefwi-Wiawso, Kofi Benteh Afful, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to expanding healthcare infrastructure in the constituency. He said the provision of health facilities remains important to improving access to healthcare and urged residents to remain patient as the government works on other development needs, including job creation for young people.
The MP's comments come as the government rolls out its free primary healthcare initiative, with the Sefwi-Wiawso area listed among the districts selected to benefit from the programme. The initiative aims to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for residents. The government is working to improve healthcare services in the region, and the commissioning of the CHPS compound is a significant step in this direction.
With the facility now commissioned, residents say their immediate concern is no longer the distance to healthcare but whether the facility will consistently provide the services they need. For a community that once had to travel several kilometres for basic medical attention, the real impact of the CHPS compound will be seen in the months ahead — when a sick child, an expectant mother, or an elderly resident needs care and can finally find it within the community.
Key points
- The CHPS compound was commissioned on October 6, 2026, in Kojina Essakrom, Ghana.
- The facility aims to provide essential healthcare services to the community, reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for medical care.
- The government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding healthcare infrastructure in the constituency, with the Sefwi-Wiawso area listed among the districts to benefit from the free primary healthcare initiative.
