President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned the 120-bed ultramodern Bekwai Municipal Hospital, a project which started during the era of the late military Head of State General I K Acheampong.
Commissioning the hospital last Saturday, President Akufo-Addo stated that the ceremony was a further evidence of his government’s commitment to continuing and completing major infrastructure projects inherited from previous governments.
“Having stalled in 2013, due to lack of funds, Government, through the dynamic, hardworking Minister for Health, Hon Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Member of Parliament for Dormaa Central, successfully negotiated for funding from the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) for the completion of the civil works, procurement of equipment with a three year warranty period, and the training of required personnel for the operation of the hospital,” the President said.
Facilities
Constructed at a cost of €22.33 million, the hospital has been fitted with an outpatient department; emergency unit; physiotherapy department; staff accommodation (16 housing units comprising 2, 3 & 4 semi-detached bedrooms); male & female wards; recovery ward; medical gas plant; three operating theatres; and offices.
Additionally, the hospital has a central sterilization department (CSSD) and laundry; medical stores; kitchen; relative’s lodge; water storage; mortuary; car park; supply & installation of medical equipment including user and application and maintenance training; supply of start-up medical consumables; and post warranty maintenance.
The President reiterated Government’s commitment to improving access to essential and quality health services through the provision of the necessary health infrastructure, equipment and logistics, including the deployment of appropriate technology, as part of the drive to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Maintenance culture
“I want to reinforce the call to the administrators to embrace and strengthen the culture of maintenance. This edifice has been put at great cost to our nation, and we should be in the position, some ten years down the line, to see it still in good condition,” he said.
He added: “It should not fall in the ways in which several institutions like this in Ghana have gone. The leadership of this facility must set the example for its periodic and constant maintenance, and will be held accountable for this.”
The President commended the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service for the great efforts they and their teams have put into the completion of this hospital.
“We shall continue to sustain our agenda of building a robust, resilient and sustainable healthcare system for current and future generations. Indeed, with four more years for Nana and the New Patriotic Party, we will do even more for you,” he added.
