The ongoing construction of Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua, the Regional Capital is progressing steadily as the constructors are busily working day and night to complete the First Phase in December 2023.
A visit to the site over the weekend by the Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong saw that the Phase one of this new hospital project which involves the construction of a two hundred and eighty-five (285) bed facility, out of the total capacity of six hundred (600) beds is ongoing speedily.
Currently, the project which was begun early this year has reached the stage of 23 percent which is been undertaken by a joint venture company, formed by Ellipse Projects and Trillium, a French company.
The contractors assured the Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong that he will make sure he meetd the deadline which is December 2023.
The Minister noted that he is impressed with the engineering work done.
President Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, 22nd July 2020, cut the sod for the project, but it got delayed for a year due to certain arrangements that needed to be undertaken.
Finally, the contractors are on the site, clearing the grounds with excavators and digging the foundation to start the block laying for the project.
This project is part of the government’s efforts to build multiple health centres across the nation, in response to growing fears surrounding the health impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The funding for the entire hospital project costing €70 million, has already been secured from Standard Chartered Bank, UK, with credit guarantee support from the United Kingdom Export Financing (UKEF) to the tune of €7,920,000 to support the design, construction, and equipping of the new Regional Hospital in Koforidua.
The President stated that the new Eastern Regional Hospital when completed will handle and help improve acute care and referral services, as well as lend support to the ever-expanding scope of primary healthcare facilities.
Additionally, it will support the development of mutual health insurance organizations within the region and its districts.
The current 429-bed capacity Eastern Regional hospital has been in existence for about 100 years now and is the referral hospital in the Region that serves parts of the Volta and Ashanti Regions, with daily OPD attendance of about 700.
The hospital was originally built to serve the New Juaben Municipality however converted to a Regional Hospital despite the limited facilities.
– BY Daniel Bampoe