Yamah Health Center

Our Vision:

Providing stable and sustainable health care in one of the most remote areas of the Northern Region of Ghana.

Strategic use of the health center:

1. to improve general health care,

2. to reduce and prevent newborn and maternal deaths,

3. to prevent adolescent pregnancies,

4. to prevent child marriage,

5. to generate income and thus generating resources for the local population,

6. as location for awareness campaigns.

Project goal:

Building a health facility in the remote Yamah area, Northern Region of Ghana, as key element to
improve general health care. Madamfo Ghana wants to better the livelihoods of the local
population sustainably. Improving public health care is an important and existential action to reach that goal.

Background information:

Northern Region is the biggest, and yet one of the poorest regions of Ghana. The infrastructure for health care is barely existing, there are almost no health centers around. Yamah is located in West Mamprusi District, about 30 kilometres away from the district’s capital Walewale. There’s no puplic transportation system. In case of medical emergencies, people have to walk the entire
distance of 30 kilometres to get to the district’s capital.

Target group:

The 4,000 inhabitants of Yamah are mainly farmers. They mainly grow manioc (also known as cassava, a tuber vegetable), cocoyam (leafy greens), maize, plantain, pepper and other vegetables. Breeding cattle and poultry for captive use is also a part of the farming activities. Currently, there are 3 primary schools and one Junior High School with 670 pupils in total. The project’s catchment area includes ca. 35,000 people.

1. Improving general health care
The target region is cut off of health care and medication supply. The closest hospital is 30 kilometres away, in the district’s capital Walewale. Since there is no puplic transportation, people have to walk all the way to the hospital. Walking that distance means certain death to many sick or weak people – especially pregnant women and children.

2. Reducing and preventing newborn- and maternal mortality
In Ghana, the ratio of maternal mortality and newborn morbidity has increased. In December
2014, the number of deaths of mothers and newborns has increased from 350 stillbirths per
100,000 live births to 380 stillbirths per 100,000 live births. The number of women that died
due to pregnancy related causes increased from 1,020 to 3,100 during the same period. Many of these fatalities could have been avoided by good antenatal care and information. That is
why Madamfo Ghana came up with this programme. In the classes, well trained employees of Madamfo Ghana explain the villagers what they can do, to prevent the worst, e.g. visiting
antenatal/medical check-up institutions.

Status: in planning
Costs: ca. 800,000 EURO

THE PROJECT AREA