Private sector fund constructs isolation, treatment facility

The construction of a 100-bed Isolation and Treatment facility has begun as part of a rapid response to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and other infectious diseases in the country.

The $3.5-million (about GH¢19.83 million) facility, which is expected to be completed in six weeks, will be the first-ever Specialist Infectious Disease Centre to be built in the country.

It will have a medical staff block, a case management centre and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The project is being funded by the COVID-19 Private Sector Fund and will be located at the Ga East Municipal Hospital, Kwabenya, where the country’s largest National COVID-19 Treatment Centre is sited.

The permanent structure is also meant to further strengthen and enhance the country’s ability to deal with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which is fast hitting Africa.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, joined Trustees of the Private Sector Fund and other stakeholders of the project through a remote online connection from the Jubilee House to cut the sod for the construction of the project to start.

President’s gratitude

A release from the fund’s secretariat quoted the President as saying: “Citizens must stand out to support government in times of a national crisis and the COVID-19 Private Sector Fund has shown a clear example by bringing different professionals together within the shortest time possible to execute this project,” adding that,
“for the Private Sector Fund to assist in this fight is an excellent initiative and tremendous demonstration of their commitment to the welfare of this country.”

The President said the National COVID-19 Trust Fund set up by government was up and running and called on the Trustees of the Private Sector Fund to liaise with the national fund and share ideas on how to effectively deploy the money that had come into the public fund.

The President thanked the Private Sector Fund for the project and assured them of his full support, saying: “Your contribution to Ghana’s health sector will not be forgotten. As a strong advocate of the private sector, you have indeed vindicated my position and made this initiative a permanent feature of the private sector in Ghana.”

Other cities to benefit

For his part, the Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the fund and Chairman of Fidelity Bank, Mr Edward Effah, said: “The Fund will build similar facilities in Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale to deal with other diseases such as Meningitis, SARS and Ebola aside from coronavirus.”

He said the trustees were counting on the public to contribute towards the fund since “we have put in place adequate measures to ensure maximum transparency and accountability.”

Mr Effah said they had appointed Stanlib Ghana Ltd as the Fund Administrator, Fidelity Bank and Ecobank are serving as the Fund Custodians, with Ernst & Young acting as the Fund Auditors.

Brief about Fund

The Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and Chairman of Tropical Cable and Conductor, Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, said: “The Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund was established by 10 private businessmen and women to raise GH¢100 million to complement government’s efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the country.