Overview
Nestled in south-central Western Region, Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality shares borders with Prestea-Huni Valley, Ahanta West, Nzema East and Ellembele districts. Spanning 2,354 square kilometers and home to over 233,318 residents as per 2020 census projections, the hilly terrain experiences around 110mm of annual rainfall within the equatorial rainforest zone. Varying between 100-400 meters in elevation, the municipality encompasses lowlands, mountains and a population exceeding two hundred thirty-three thousand people served by its health directorate.
FIGURE 1: MAP OF TARKWA NSUAEM MUNICIPAL HEALTH DIRECTORATE WITHFACILITIES
TABLE 1: POPULATION OF SUB-MUNICIPALITIES AND TARGET GROUPS FOR 2024 (FROM 2020POPULATION CENSUS)
| SUB-MUNICPAL | COMMUNITIES | POP | % | <1YR POPN | 0-5YRS POPN | WIFA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BENSO | 7 | 13,999 | 5 | 560 | 2,800 | 3,360 |
| DOMPIM | 11 | 14,232 | 5.9 | 569 | 2,846 | 3,416 |
| ESSUOSO | 8 | 16,566 | 5.2 | 663 | 3,313 | 3,976 |
| IDUAPRIEM | 15 | 12,832 | 4.9 | 513 | 2,566 | 3,080 |
| NEW ATUABO | 8 | 34,531 | 15 | 1,381 | 6,906 | 8,287 |
| NSUAEM | 23 | 30,331 | 15 | 1,213 | 6,066 | 7,280 |
| NSUTA | 12 | 41,764 | 17.9 | 1,671 | 8,353 | 10,023 |
| SIMPA | 7 | 14,232 | 5.9 | 569 | 2,846 | 3,416 |
| TARKWA | 16 | 54,830 | 26 | 2,193 | 10,966 | 13,159 |
| TOTAL | 107 | 233,318 | 100 | 9,333 | 46,664 | 55,996 |
The Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate oversees 67 health facilities serving over 233,000 residents. Most facilities, comprising 47 public options including 37 CHPS compounds, are managed directly by the Directorate. A further 20 private clinics and hospitals complement healthcare access. Our team works tirelessly across this network to deliver equitable prevention, screening, and treatment services to mining communities and beyond.
Our mission is to promote health, wellness and disease prevention in collaboration with community partners. We are committed to equitably serving all, from mine workers to schoolchildren to elders. Through targeted outreach programs and a robust facility network, no one in need is turned away.
Some key facts about healthcare in our municipality
Leading causes of outpatient visits are malaria, respiratory infections and maternal/child health issues. Immunization coverages for children under 5 exceed 95% achieved through effective Outreach and Static Child Welfare Clinics (CWC), school health vaccination, mop ups and health vaccine education efforts.
Currently, our team of healthcare professionals operate out of the (2) public hospitals, (1) poly clinic, (7) health centers, (37) CHPS, and (20) private health facilities. Specialties include general medicine, reproductive maternal neonatal child and adolescent health care, dentistry, ophthalmology and physiotherapy. We also run prevention campaigns addressing Malaria, Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases, sanitation and more.
Looking ahead, our goals are to introduce specialist surgical services, expand emergency response capacities and renovate health infrastructure across the municipality. We also seek to strengthen partnerships with traditional leaders, mines, schools, other municipal departments and partners both locally and international. A key part of our work involves raising public awareness of health risks and promoting early detection. With support from local mining companies, we regularly organize community screening services on occasions such as Farmers Day, Independence Day and Municipal Day. Through these events, thousands of residents receive free checkups, testing and health education. Screenings cover common NCDs like diabetes and hypertension as well as infectious diseases like malaria. Anyone with abnormal results is referred for follow-up care and management. In addition, the directorate commemorates important world health days throughout the year. On World Malaria Day, we distribute bed nets and educate on prevention of the mosquito-borne illness. World Diabetes Day finds us testing blood sugar levels and sharing dietary tips. During World Hypertension Day, we conduct mass blood pressure screenings and counsel on lifestyle changes.
Other commemorations include World Rabies Day where we emphasize pet vaccination, and World Health Day which is marked through community symposiums on topical health issues. By raising awareness of early warning signs and risk factors, we aim to detect diseases early to reduce complications. Public participation in these screenings and events show the community’s commitment to proactively managing their health with our support. The municipality currently has operationalized four (4) Networks of Practice (NOP) as a strategy to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This has translated into an efficient referral system routing patients from health centers to district hospitals and onto specialized tertiary hospitals, ensuring residents obtain necessary care beyond primary services locally available. Timely transfers and feedback between facilities streamline clinical pathways. The directorate also conducts active disease surveillance to monitor health trends in the municipality.
Our field officers collect data that is promptly analyzed to detect and respond to potential outbreaks. We also promote good nutrition through educational workshops on balanced diets, food safety, food demonstration and managing lifestyle conditions like hypertension through dietary changes. Partnerships with schools, churches and community leaders aid in disseminating nutrition information. If you are interested in supporting our mission through volunteering, internships, research or donations, please contact us on 0209129643. Together, through cooperation and innovation, we will ensure Tarkwa Nsuaem residents live long and healthy lives.
