The US Department of Defence’s Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid Program has donated a negative pressure isolation system to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital also know as Ridge Hospital.
The $1.5 million moveable isolation facility would provide critical care support for up to 30 Covid-19 patients, by ensure infectious patients are properly isolated and given the needed care in a climate-controlled area.
US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan, announced this during the donation of oxygen generation equipment to the government in support of the country’s Covid-19 response.
She said the temporary facility would be vital for the current management of Covid-19 cases and in the long term, the delivery of quality medical services.
“The Negative Pressure Isolation System (NPIS) would provide life-saving support to Covid-19 patients. It can also be used for training staff and providing essential medical services such as mass casualty events, triage and natural or man-made disasters,” she said.
Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyo, expressed delight at the new development saying it would augment the hospital’s 16-bed Covid-19 isolation centre.
“They have also donated a generator to run it and then a water and sewage system to run it. All we need now is to have a source of oxygen connected to the facility then we can start using it and that is what the US government is doing,” he added.
The equipment donation follows the recent donation of 1.2 million Moderna Vaccines and oxygen generation system to support the country’s Covid-19 response.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri