New Korle Bu urology centre ready December
THE €38 million Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence being constructed at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) is expected to be ready for use by December this year.
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The over 70 per cent completed project will offer advanced treatment for persons with genito-urinary conditions, chronic and acute kidney failures, as well as nephrology services such as kidney transplants.
On August 11, 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the construction and equipping of the two-storey 101-bed centre.
The project was said to be funded by Raiffessen Bank International AG Ltd of Austria, with OeKB Group, also from Austria, providing insurance cover of €4,666,950.
The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, accompanied by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, paid a working visit to the project site to ascertain the progress of work.
The team, which was conducted around the facilities by the Chief Executive Officer of the KBTH, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, also visited the refurbished Fevers Unit, which had been transformed into a modern infectious disease centre.
Research, resource centre
The minister, after receiving briefing from the project contractor, expressed satisfaction with work being done.
He said the centre had a 31-suite dialysis station for persons with kidney disorders and 70 beds for genito-urinary patients.
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“The centre will also provide outpatient services and serve as a resource base to conduct research into urology and nephrology cases,” he said.
The Health Minister said the initiative formed part of deliberate and aggressive efforts by the government to provide quality one-stop shop healthcare services for the public.
He said the move would also accelerate the delivery of the national goal to make the country a medical tourism destination.
Mr Agyeman-Manu expressed confidence that the construction of those facilities at the KBTH would put the hospital in a strong position to give meaning to medical tourism services to neighbouring countries, thereby increasing its revenue base to expand services.
On the completed infectious disease centre, Mr Agyeman-Manu said it would soon be inaugurated for use.
“I had mentioned earlier that we were building 12 treatment centres across the country.
We picked the fevers unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital which was in a seriously bad condition,” he said.
“The place has been renovated and retrofitted with modern equipment. It has two intensive care units with a total capacity of 120 beds.
“It has also been fitted with a modern laboratory to be operated by the GHS’s reference laboratory.
The laboratory has a similar capacity as the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
“The laboratory can conduct examination into all manner of viruses and infectious disease examinations, including Lassa fever and Marburg.
“Four of such facilities have been instituted and located at the Volta Regional Hospital, the Sunyani Regional Hospital, the Ankaful Hospital and the Cape Coast Regional Hospital.
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“We are looking at how to get a few more to ensure all the other regions had at least one of such laboratories.
“This is how we are vigorously building our capacities and strengthening our health sector for better health outcomes.
“We are going to do a good documentary about this later to show Ghanaians how we spent COVID-19 moneys,” he said.
Writer’s email” doreen.andoh@graphic.com.gh