Ntronang Residents Cry for Health Centre to Reduce Over Reliance on Herbal Concoctions for Treatment.

Residents of Ntronang in the Okere District of the Eastern Region are appealing to the government to provide them with a healthcare facility to cater to their health needs.

According to them, even if it’s a CHPS compound, it will serve as a first-aid center to take care of their basic health care needs to cater to their health challenges.

Ntronang is a farming community with deplorable roads linking to the District capital to Koforidua and nearby communities but lacks a lot of social amenities including a health center.

The residents there heavily resort to herbal concoctions as their only option for health care due to the absence of any form of health facility in the area.

According to the "don’t have a health care center at Ntronang, not even an over-the-counter chemical shop. We suffer whenever we fall sick. Our only option is to resort to herbs and other herbal concoctions when we are sick".

They claim they have no room to worry about its efficacy since our forefathers relied on the same for health care, though it could pose danger to our health we don't have any option, the residents lamented. 

They added that snakebites, cutlass wounds, pregnancy issues are among other critical issues that pose threat to them and are always sent to the Koforidua Regional Hospital for treatment for lack of CHIP compound in the community. 

They continued that they have had situations where pregnant women deliver on their way to the hospital. 

They have called on all authorities to come to their aid for we deserve better, and we hope the government will come to our aid and provide us with a health care center, residents said.

The Odikro in the community, Damptey George for the Ntronang community, said his people go through a lot of ordeals when the need arises for health care needs.

When speaking to Sorienews, he also averred that the terrible nature of the roads makes it difficult for drivers to ply that stretch, resulting in loss of lives sometimes.

Odikro Damptey George added that sometimes, they have to call women from homes to assist a pregnant woman in labor.

The only option to save the situation was to carry pregnant women on a motorbike or on their heads before the woman can get a proper health center for treatment. 

"Some times ago one woman was carried on a motorbike sandwiched between the moto rider and another man on the motorbike, and they carefully conveyed her to the Koforidua Regional Hospital. But for the mercies of God, they could have lost the mother and baby", he narrated.

We are appealing to the government to provide the community with at least a CHPs compound to serve as a first-aid center and help them save lives in the Ntronang community, Odikro Damptey George appealed.

Meanwhile, aside from the appeal of a health care facility for Ntronang, the residents also grapple with the effect of leaving without electricity, especially at night. 

Students are unable to learn in the evening, while businesses that would require electricity to thrive are stalled.

Teachers continue to refuse postings to the community because there is no electricity.

Some said snakes and other dangerous reptiles continue to harm them, especially their children at night. And they have to rely on herbs only for treatment.

A resident said it’s as if they are being punished and therefore pleads to the government, MP for the area Hon. Dan Botwe and DCE to come to their aid to help make life less stressful for them in the farming community.