President Akufo-Addo watering a plant for the construction of Maternity-Gyaecological Centre and Nephrology and Kidney Transplant Centre at Korle Bu. Picture by Gifty Ama Lawson.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday launched three ‘game-changing’ projects at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and the La General Hospital, both in Accra.
At KBTH, he cut the sod for the construction and equipping of a 12-storey 400-bed Maternity and Gynaecological Centre, and a two-storey 101-bed Urology and Nephrology Centre before proceeding to La, where he cut the sod for the reconstruction of the entire La General Hospital.
Genesis
It all started when during a visit in 2018 to the teaching hospital, the President found the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the National Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre of the hospital, including the maternity block, in a deplorable state.
“I promised to remedy the situation, as the current state of the building is not fit for purpose. Today’s ceremony is a fulfillment of the pledge I made,” he said.
“The two projects and the reactivation of construction work on the abandoned 750-bed maternity and children’s block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi will significantly reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the country, a further testimony of government’s commitment to improving the country’s healthcare infrastructure,” the President pointed out.
Funding
An amount of €145,220,000 from Standard Chartered Bank will cover the cost of the project, with an export credit guarantee from Swedish Export Credit towards the reconstruction of the maternity block at KBTH, he announced.
Urology & Nephrology Centre
Cutting the sod for the construction of the €38 million Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence, also at KBTH, President Akufo-Addo stated that the project was being funded by Raiffessen Bank International AG Ltd of Austria, with OeKB Group, also from Austria, providing insurance cover of €4,666,950.
Once completed, it will offer advanced treatment for persons with genito-urinary conditions, chronic and acute kidney failures, as well as nephrology services such as kidney transplants.
“The two-storey Urology and Nephrology Centre will have a thirty-one (31) suite dialysis station for persons with kidney disorders, and seventy (70) beds for genito-urinary patients. The centre will also provide out-patient services and serve as a resource base to conduct research into urology and nephrology cases,” he said.
The President was confident that the construction of these facilities at 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.”
La General Hospital
The President also cut the sod for the redevelopment of the La General Hospital which has now been razed to the floor at an estimated cost of €68 million.
The new La General Hospital will also be a 160-bed facility fitted with an out-patient department, in-patient wards, maternal and neonatal services, surgical unit with four theatres, accident and emergency department, public health department, pharmacy unit, laboratory, administration, imaging area with CT scan, x-ray room, ultrasound, flouroscopy, mammography unit, physiotherapy unit and a mortuary.
Both projects are expected to be completed in 2022.
The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, indicated that the Urology and Nephrology Centre had been on the drawing board since 2009, but it took the bold decision of President Akufo-Addo to see to its commencement.
Indeed, once completed, the centre will be the first public facility to deliver IVF services in the country.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu