BESSFA Rural Bank donate refurbished, equipped theatre to Garu Presbyterian health centre

Bessfa Rural Bank, headquartered in Garu, Upper East Region, handed over a newly refurbished and well-equipped theatre to the Garu Presbyterian Health Centre on Tuesday.

This donation, part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility efforts, marks the celebration of the bank's 40th anniversary this year.

The refurbished theatre is expected to serve the 159,000 residents of Garu and the thousands of people from neighboring countries like Togo and Burkina Faso who visit the Garu and Tempane districts for commercial purposes.

The refurbished ultra-modern theatre is a crucial development for the district, which previously lacked such facilities. Health authorities revealed that four pregnant women died in Garu in 2022 and 2023 due to the absence of a theatre. Additionally, another woman tragically lost all eight of her pregnancies.

During a ceremony to commission the new theatre, the Garu District Directorate of Health Services highlighted these critical issues. Dr. Emmanuel Jamal Mohammed, Medical Director of the Garu Presbyterian Health Centre, noted that the four women could have survived had there been an adequately equipped theatre. He also mentioned that the closure of the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, a referral facility, due to the Bawku conflict, exacerbated the situation and led to additional fatalities.

John Avoka, representing the Garu District Director of Health Services, reported that maternal deaths decreased from three in 2022 to one in 2023. He expressed optimism that the modernized theatre would help eliminate maternal deaths in the district.

Alhaji Ibrahim Hayatudeen Awudu, Chief Executive Officer of Bessfa Rural Bank, revealed that over GHC 130,000 was spent refurbishing the theatre. He emphasized that the donation reinforced Bessfa's commitment to societal well-being and highlighted the bank’s belief that a healthy society is essential for prosperity.

Board Chairman Cletus Azabi noted the strong correlation between good health, productivity, wealth creation, and economic development. He affirmed the bank's dedication to actively supporting the well-being of the community, expressing hope that the new theatre would significantly improve maternal healthcare in the district.

Tempane District Chief Executive (DCE) Issaka Anabida commended Bessfa Rural Bank for its timely intervention. He noted that the new theatre would address basic operational issues in the district and encourage workers, their morale and productivity. Anabida urged young workers to contribute their best to the country's development.

Bessfa Rural Bank operates six computerized and networked branches across the Upper East and North East regions, including Garu, Bawku, Pusiga, Nalerigu, Bunkpurugu and Nakpanduri.