Mr Issah Mohammed Bataglia, the Member of Parliament for the Sissala East Constituency has announced a series of major financial commitments aimed at improving healthcare delivery across the municipality, particularly in underserved communities.
Speaking during his constituency engagement tour, the MP revealed that a total of GHC188,000 has so far been released for the establishment of modern laboratory facilities at Nabulo and Kulfuo.
He said the initiative was expected to significantly enhance access to diagnostic services for residents in remote areas such as Kalaxi, Bawiesebelle, Santijan and surrounding communities, who often travel long distances to access healthcare in Tumu.
Mr Bataglia also disclosed that GHC 23,000 has been allocated to Nabugubelle to support the completion of accommodation for health workers, a move aimed at attracting and retaining medical personnel in the area.
To further strengthen emergency healthcare services, the MP also provided GHC 45,000 to the Ghana Ambulance Service for the repair of the municipal ambulance, which broke down with a defective engine.
He further announced the procurement of an additional ambulance to improve emergency response across the municipality.
He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that he had also taken it upon himself to work on, and repair ambulances provided by his predecessor, Mr Amidu Chinnia Issahsku to ensure that they continued to serve the people.
Mr Bataglia assured the constituents that efforts were far advanced to secure an X-ray machine for the Tumu Government Hospital, which had been without one for several years.
He noted that he was working closely with the Minister of Education, who recently experienced first-hand the challenges at the Tumu Hospital after being involved in an accident on the Tumu /Navrongo highway and received initial treatment at the hospital before being airlifted to Accra.
The MP, however, expressed concern over the poor maintenance culture at the facility.
He revealed that over the past decade, the Virtue Foundation donated several pieces of medical equipment to the hospital, but some had gone missing while others had not been properly maintained.
Mr Bataglia emphasised that such practices undermined efforts to improve healthcare delivery and described the situation as worrying.
He assured the public that he was collaborating with the Parliamentary Health Committee and the Minister of Health to push for the construction of a befitting municipal hospital in Tumu to serve the wider corridor.
Mr Osman Kanton, the Chairman of the Sissala East Health Committee, commended the MP’s interventions in the health sector, which would alleviate the plight of the people.
He described the recent visit to the Education Minister with some chiefs and the Principal of the Tumu College of Education as a kind gesture.