$9M Children’s Hospital in Weija 65% complete
A new children’s hospital under construction in Weija in the Weija Gbawe municipality is 65 per cent complete.
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The 120-bed facility government facility, funded by the World Bank at $9 million, comes amid growing concerns about the deteriorating condition of the Princess Marie Louise Hospital, the capital's only public children's hospital.
It is expected to alleviate the pressure on the Princess Marie Louise Hospital, which will also allow for essential future renovation works to be carried out on the aging facility.
The contractor on the site, Joseph Adams, with Awerco Construction Limited, told the Health Minister, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, during his tour of the facility that workers were working to meet the September deadline for completion.
The hospital will feature an emergency unit, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, recovery wards, three theatres, VIP wards, imaging and biomedical laboratories, an outpatient department (OPD) and a mother's hotel.
For his part, the health minister applauded the contractors for the work done so far and urged them to meet the timelines.
Dr Okoe Boye also pleaded with the contractors to employ the services of skilled locals in the community to support the local economy.
"This project is a testament to the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration's commitment to improving pediatric care in Ghana," he said.
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“Once operational, this new hospital will significantly enhance healthcare delivery for children in Accra and beyond," Dr Okoe Boye added.
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He said the initiative was part of a broader effort by the government to improve healthcare infrastructure across the country with special attention on child health.
The Health Minister said in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, the 500-unit Maternity and Children's Block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) was also making significant progress.
The new block is intended to replace the 45-year-old structure that was deemed structurally unsound and subsequently demolished.
The abandoned project was brought back into focus through the collaboration of the First Lady's office, the Manhyia Palace and the Multimedia Group, resulting in the construction of a Mother and Baby Unit to address immediate congestion issues at KATH.
Context
Further highlighting the government's dedication to child health, in November 2021, it was announced that childhood cancers would be covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme. This revolutionary policy includes the diagnosis and treatment of four major childhood cancers: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Burkitt Lymphoma, Retinoblastoma and Wilms Tumour.
These cancers, which account for approximately 60 per cent of all childhood cancers, are highly treatable if detected early.
Additionally, a 40-bed Pediatric Oncology block is under construction for the children's unit at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
The multi-purpose facility being developed in partnership with private sector players will significantly change healthcare delivery for the country’s future leaders.
The new Mother and Child Centre, a centenary project of Korle Bu, set to replace the dilapidated Maternity block, promises to revolutionise maternity healthcare delivery at Ghana’s premier health facility.
Dr Okoe-Boye, during a recent visit, expressed optimism about the ongoing projects and their potential impact on healthcare delivery in the country.
Specialist hospitals
The health minister emphasised the need for Ghana to prioritise the development of specialist hospitals.
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He stressed that such facilities were crucial in providing tailored healthcare services, fostering specialisation among medical professionals, and alleviating the overcrowding that plagues general hospitals.
That strategic focus, he stated, would enhance the overall healthcare delivery system and ensure that the nation's youngest citizens received the highest standard of medical attention.