Rev. Komla Darke (right) being assisted to cut the tape to commission the health facility
The Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), in partnership with the Cuyahoga Valley Church (CVC), Cleveland Ohio, USA, has commissioned the first phase of an ultra-modern hospital for the people of Nvellenu in the Jomoro District of the Western Region.
The Nzema Baptist Hospital, built at a cost of $760,000, has a theatre, dispensary/pharmacy, emergency, maternity and recovery wards, injection room, ultra-sound scan, consulting rooms, a laboratory and records office.
The 180-bed health facility is intended to serve the people of Jomoro Municipal, Ellembele and Nzema East Districts.
The Vice President of GBC, Rev. Washington Komla Darke, explained that the church exists to meet the spiritual and socio-economic needs of people through strong and vibrant structures and institutions, and in cooperation with relevant bodies.
He mentioned that the church has committed itself to continue to complement government’s effort of reducing the maternal and child mortality, control the spread of preventable diseases such as HIV and AIDS and malaria.
“This, we will do through provision of health facilities and programmes that will benefit the citizenry,” he said.
Rev. Darke mentioned that the convention and its international mission board partners for the past 60 years have complemented government’s effort in the provision of quality healthcare for the people of Nalerigu through the Baptist Medical Centre (BMC).
He revealed that the GBC Health Service has worked for the accreditation of seven health facilities by the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) to help address the basic social needs from the grass-root level for the past four years.
Rev. Darke said the CVC group recognises that healthcare facility is a critical need for the people of Nzema.
He pointed out that the GBC envisages the expansion of the hospital to be a tertiary hospital with 300 beds in the years to come.
Rev. Darke added, “The CVC have also committed to paying staff remuneration and allowances and the Convention appreciates the dedication of CVC to ensure the people of Nzema have the best of healthcare.”
Rev. Komla Darke said the GBC, through its Medical Services Council and the Baptist Health Services, would continue to explore other funding avenues to supplement the contribution of CVC and other partners to make Nzema and all Baptist hospitals a centre of excellence.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Nvelenu