Mrs Regina Akweley Klutse, Deputy Director, Nursing and Midwifery Services, Akuapim North Health Directorate, says the provision of laboratory services within every health institution is essential for quality and effective healthcare delivery. She said having access to such a facility was necessary to help clients have easy access to the needed services with timely diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Mrs Klutse said this at the commissioning and official handing over of an ultra- modern laboratory facility refurbished by the Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG) Limited at the Larteh Health Centre in the Eastern Region. The facility is expected to provide timely and quality healthcare delivery to the Larteh community and its environs. The Deputy Director indicated that the Health Centre, which had been in existence for many years, lacked a laboratory facility, an inconvenience hampering healthcare services, adding that patients were mostly referred to nearby facilities for laboratory tests. She said the refurbi shment of the laboratory by the Organisation would help clients have access to laboratory tests right at the Health Centre and would facilitate quick diagnosis and treatment. She said: 'I believe that this intervention will help meet the health needs of the people for better and improved Health care services.' 'Out of the four health centres in the Municipality, it is only Larteh Health Centre that is having a laboratory for the first time, which will go a long way to help in meeting the health needs of the people.' She said continuous support to the health sector was key to quality health care in the country, saying, 'the facilities will not be functional if we are not provided with the necessary tools to work, hence the need for Corporates to support in providing quality health care to the people.' She also appeal for the provision of a theatre and staff residential accommodation so that health workers would be willing to serve at the facility. Mr Daniel Wilson Addo, Managing Director, CBG Ltd, said th e gesture formed part of the Organisation's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which symbolised its commitment to improving the well-being of the Larteh people and Ghanaians as a whole. Mr Addo said the Bank understood the importance of contributing to the development and sustainability of the community it served. 'Our CSR initiatives are built on the core pillars of health, community development and education. Through these pillars, we contribute to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in addressing key areas that drive progress and well-being of the people, hence the enhancement of the health infrastructure.' The Managing Director said the provision of the laboratory would eliminate the need for long trips in accessing laboratory services at other health centres and also ensure a timely and accurate medical care. The Chiefs and people of Larteh expressed gratitude to the Organisation for the gesture in enhancing healthcare delivery in the community. They also appealed for a libr ary facility to meet the educational needs of students and pupils in the community. Source: Ghana News Agency