Residents in hard-to-reach communities in Agortime, Oti Region, are expected to have improved access to healthcare services through a partnership between World Vision Ghana and Somoco Ghana Limited. The initiative involves the provision of two specially equipped tricycles to the Ghana Health Service to support community health workers in delivering essential healthcare services to residents. The tricycles will transport essential medicines, maternal health supplies, vaccines, and diagnostic equipment to communities where distance and poor roads often make it difficult to reach health facilities.
According to World Vision Ghana's Health Technical Specialist, Awurabena Quayeba Dadzie, the partnership aims to address last-mile barriers to healthcare, particularly for pregnant women, newborns, and children. The partnership will strengthen the mobility of community health workers, enabling them to reach communities that may otherwise be difficult to serve consistently. This initiative is part of World Vision Ghana's five-year strategy, "Hope for Every Child: Harnessing Opportunities for the Protection and Empowerment of Every Child" (HOPE, 2026–2030), which focuses on improving child well-being through interventions in health, education, protection, and participation.
The Business Support Manager of Somoco Ghana Limited, Theophilous Lampey, stated that the initiative will help frontline health workers overcome some of the challenges posed by distance and difficult terrain. The tricycles are designed to help health professionals go further, reach more families, and overcome some of the physical barriers that distance and difficult terrain create. The partnership builds on World Vision Ghana's community-based health programmes, including the Channels of Hope for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health programme and Community Health Committee model.
Some residents in remote communities in Agortime travel more than 10 kilometres to access healthcare, with poor roads and difficult terrain further limiting access to health facilities. The initiative is expected to strengthen outreach services and improve links between community health workers and households in underserved communities. World Vision Ghana's Business Development, Partnerships and External Engagement Director, Joseph Appiah, said the intervention was intended to remove distance as a barrier between families and essential healthcare.
The partnership between World Vision Ghana and Somoco Ghana Limited demonstrates the power of collaboration in addressing healthcare challenges in underserved communities. By providing practical, reliable mobility to frontline health workers, the initiative is expected to improve healthcare outcomes for residents in Agortime. The tricycles will support antenatal and postnatal care, immunisation, basic diagnostics, and referrals, ultimately enhancing the well-being of children and families in the region.
World Vision Ghana and Somoco Ghana Limited are committed to sustaining and expanding the initiative to ensure that residents in Agortime have continued access to essential healthcare services. The partnership has the potential to serve as a model for similar initiatives in other underserved communities in Ghana. By leveraging resources and expertise, organisations can make a meaningful impact on healthcare outcomes and improve the lives of children and families.
The initiative has been welcomed by residents in Agortime, who are expected to benefit from improved access to healthcare services. The partnership between World Vision Ghana and Somoco Ghana Limited is a significant step towards addressing the healthcare needs of residents in hard-to-reach communities. The success of the initiative will depend on the effective implementation and maintenance of the programme, as well as the continued collaboration between partners.
Key points
- World Vision Ghana and Somoco Ghana partner to improve healthcare access in Agortime
- Partnership provides tricycles to support community health workers in delivering essential healthcare services
- Initiative aims to address last-mile barriers to healthcare, particularly for pregnant women, newborns, and children
