The chiefs and people of Mamprugu Magduri District in the newly created North East Region are appealing to President Nana Akufo-Addo to provide them with a District Hospital. 17 years after the creation of the District, it cannot boast of a single clinic but just two health centres serving over 100 communities with some CHPS Compounds dotted around. The Mamprugu Magduri District is one of the 6 districts in the North East Region. The Yagaba and Kubouri Health Centres are under pressure to take care of over 48,000 people in the District. It is even difficult to access these health centres during the rainy season due to the deplorable state of the roads in the area. Speaking at a durbar to welcome the President to the District, the Paramount Chief of the Yagaba traditional area, Yagaba Naaba Alhaji Iddrisu indicated the situation is affecting quality health care delivery. The poor road network compounded by lack of good health facilities, he said, has led to “many avoidable deaths”. He also called for nurses training college, an additional secondary school, a teacher training college and a technical and vocational training institute. He applauded the President for his Free SHS policy and the Planting for Food and Jobs programme which he said has reduced the incidence of youth migrating to the cities in search of non existing jobs. On his part, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assured the people he will discuss the proposal for a district hospital with the Health Minister on Monday on his return to Accra. He said though his government is committed to bringing development to the people, he admitted he cannot provide all that the chief requested immediately. “Chief, I can not guarantee you all your request now but I will ensure the most pressing ones are tackled immediately including the hospital,” the President said. He said government will support the Integrated Water and Agricultural Development (IWAD) irrigation project in the area to ensure the country benefit from their work. He commended the chiefs and people for their commitment to agriculture which he said has led to the construction of a 1000 metric tons warehouse at Yagaba under the One District, One Warehouse programme which he later commissioned. He also inspected works on the Walewale water project and ended his tour with a durbar of chiefs and people of Walewale. By Christopher Amoako | 3news.com ]]>