Construction works have finally begun for the commencement of Phase One of the new 600-bed Eastern Regional Hospital project located in Koforidua which is been undertaken by a joint venture company, formed by Ellipse Projects and Trillium, a French company.
President Akufo-Addo, on Wednesday, 22nd July 2020, cut the sod for the project, but it got delay 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 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 €7,920,000.000 to support the design, construction and equipping of the new Regional Hospital in Koforidua.
President Akufo-Addo at the sod-cutting explained that “Phase one of this new hospital project will involve the construction of a two hundred and eighty-five (285) bed facility, out of the total capacity of six hundred (600) beds”.
According to him, “Once fully completed, it will be fitted with the requisite teaching and learning facilities, and will position the Eastern Region on the right side of the healthcare map of our country”.
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