Prez Mahama inaugurates first of promised district hospitals
The first of the government’s promised new district hospitals in parts of the country, the Shai Osudoku District Hospital, was inaugurated by President John Mahama at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region yesterday.
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"It reflects my unwavering commitment to the 2012 promise to improve access to health in all parts of the country.
"The evidence-based learning is clear for all to see," President Mahama said at the inauguration of the state-of-the-art 120-bed health facility.
Contract
The Ministry of Health and NMS Infrastructure Ltd of the United Kingdom signed a $175 million contract in November 2012, for the delivery of six new district hospitals under the government’s programme to improve access to health care.
The other district hospitals are at Sekondi, Kumawu, Abetifi, Fomena and Garu-Timpane, while the European Hospital in Takoradi is undergoing rehabilitation.
It took 18 months to complete the construction of the fully equipped Shai Osudoku District Hospital.
Facilities at the hospital include an accident and emergency centre, outpatients department, laboratories, theatres, a maternity ward, paediatrics, male and female wards, public health and traditional medicine centres.
Housing facilities have also been provided to accommodate 22 members of staff of the hospital.
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Policy
President Mahama reiterated that the government had a policy to transform the health sector.
"Today we are providing the people of Ghana another evidence of changing the lives of the people," he said.
He said two of the remaining five hospitals under construction at Fomena and Kamawu would be completed in October this year, while the remaining three were expected to be completed early next year.
He said the next batch of new district hospitals to be constructed had been approved by the Cabinet.
They are the Sawla-Kalba, Wheta, Somanya, Buipe and Tolon district hospitals, as well as a new polyclinic at Bamboi.
President Mahama said about 2000 Ghanaians, 60 of them from the Shai Osudoku District, were provided jobs during the construction stage of the hospital.
He urged the management of the hospital to ensure effective maintenance of the facility.
Partnership
The UK Minister for Africa, Mr James Duddridge, said the hospital was a testament of the strong partnership between UK and Ghana.
"We celebrate this partnership with Ghana," he said.
The minister described Ghana as a good place to do business, adding that the country had recorded impressive development.
The Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia, said "Ghanaians must come and see how your money is being spent".
The acting President of the Shai Traditional Council, Nene Nornor Sordjie V, was full of praise for the government and wished the President success in the November general polls.
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He, however, expressed concern about the encroachment on Shai lands by outsiders and warned thus, "We shall resist with all the force at our disposal."