President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Tuesday cut the sod for work to commence on the construction of two ultra-modern health facilities at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).
The facilities include a 12-storey 400-bed capacity Maternity and Gynaecology Centre and a two-storey 110-bed Urology and Nephrology Centre.
Both projects, schedule to be completed in 2022, will enable the premier hospital, the third largest in sub-saharan Africa, provide seamless and cutting-edge health care to Ghanaians and other nationals.
The construction of the maternity centre would be funded with a €145.22million facility sourced from Standard Chartered Bank, UK, whilst the Urology and Nephrology centre is to be put up with a 38million Euro Reifeisen Bank International AG limited of Austria facility.
At a short ceremony at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the commencement of both projects bore testimony to government’s commitment to improve the country’s health care infrastructure to guarantee universal health coverage for all.
He said the reconstruction of the maternity centre, coupled with the reactivation of construction work on the abandoned 750 bed maternity and children’s block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, would significantly reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates and help the country achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through enhanced access to quality maternal and Child Health Services.
The new Urology and Nephrology Centre will provide enhanced treatment for persons with genito-urinary conditions, chronic and acute kidney failures.
President Akufo-Addo further noted that the projects would increase the KBTH ability to respond adequately to the mounting demand for professional health services.
He was optimistic that the completion of those facilities would place the KBTH “in a strong position to give meaning to medical tourism services to neighboring countries and increase its revenue base to expand services.”
The President looked forward to the timely completion of the projects and urged the contractors and management of the KBTH to collaborate effectively in delivering quality projects to the benefit of all Ghanaians.
Health Minister Kwaku Agyemang Manu said government was on track to deliver on its promise to provide the needed health facilities across the country.
He urged the management of the KBTH to collaborate with the appropriate agencies to undertake a comprehensive redevelopment of the entire hospital to meet its growing demand.
The new Maternity Centre, which will be located adjacent the Reproductive Health Unit of the KBTH, will be fully equipped with all ancillary facilities. It will provide obstetrics and gynaecology, family planning and invitro fertilization (IVF) services.
It will have 20 delivery rooms; one hundred seater waiting area; 26 recovery wards; 18 treatment rooms; twenty-four consulting rooms; seven theatres; a 10-room accommodation for new mothers; 32 seater restaurant, with an emergency unit with its own triage and operating theatre.
The new Urology and Nephrology Centre which will provide enhanced treatment for persons with genito-urinary conditions, chronic and acute kidney failures, with a 40-suite dialysis station for persons with kidney disorders.
It will also have a  three-suite operation theatres, a six-bed recovery room and an Intensive Care Unit, a Central Sterilisation and Stores Department, a pharmacy, a laboratory, a blood bank, administrative offices, conference room and other supporting facilities including 100-unit car parking, kitchen, and laundry.
GNA
