AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine has commissioned two new health centres at Apitikooko and Dokyiwa/Binsere in the Ashanti region, as part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery and reduce Obuasi’s doctor-to-patient ratio from 1:10,000 to 1:6,000 by 2030.
The facilities form part of the company’s 10-year socio-economic development plan aimed at improving healthcare, infrastructure and human development in its host communities.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the commissioning ceremony at Dokyiwa/Binsere, the Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Ing. Dr Samuel Boakye Pobee, said the two communities were identified through stakeholder engagement as areas with urgent healthcare needs.
He explained that residents of the two communities previously had to travel up to 16 kilometres to access the nearest health facility, a situation that delayed access to healthcare and emergency services.
According to him, the newly commissioned health centres will significantly improve access to quality healthcare and facilitate faster responses to medical emergencies.
Ing. Dr Pobee disclosed that Obuasi currently has a doctor-to-patient ratio of about 1:10,000, compared with the national average of 1:12,000, while the United Nations recommends a ratio of 1:3,000.
He said the company is collaborating with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health to reduce the municipality’s doctor-to-patient ratio to 1:6,000 by 2030, with the long-term goal of meeting the UN standard.
The Managing Director noted that the facilities have been fully equipped with modern medical equipment, including laboratories, to support primary healthcare delivery in Apitikooko, Dokyiwa/Binsere and surrounding communities.
To ensure sustainability, he said AngloGold Ashanti has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Health Directorate for the maintenance and management of the facilities.
He underscored the importance of a strong maintenance culture to prevent equipment breakdowns and ensure the centres continue to serve the communities effectively.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Fred Adomako-Boateng, pledged to deploy the required health professionals, including midwives and Community Health Officers, to operationalise the facilities.
He also announced plans to establish Community Health Management Committees to educate residents on their roles in maintaining the facilities and supporting healthcare delivery.
Dr Adomako-Boateng stressed that improving healthcare is a shared responsibility and urged the Obuasi Municipal Assembly to provide security personnel and standby generators to support the effective operation of the health centres.
He commended AngloGold Ashanti for its continued investment in healthcare, citing the screening and treatment of more than 19,000 residents, capacity-building programmes for health professionals and the distribution of more than 52,000 sanitary pads to schools.
He further encouraged residents to enrol on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to improve access to healthcare as Ghana works towards achieving Universal Health Coverage by 2030.
