Akufo-Addo commissions 60-bed hospital in Ketu North worth €14.5 million

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, commissioned a €14.5 million, 60-bed ultra-modern hospital for Weta, in the Ketu North District on Tuesday 20 October 2020.

The hospital, President Akufo-Addo said, is one of six medical installations whose construction began three years ago. They were built by Vamed Engineering GmbH of Austria at a cost of €80 million, with funding provided by Raiffeisen Bank of Austria.

The other five hospitals are the 80-bed district hospital in Somanya (Eastern Region); the 80-bed district hospital in Buipe, 60-bed hospital in Sawla and 30-bed polyclinic in Bamboi, all in the Savannah Region; and a 60-bed hospital in Tolon (Northern Region).

“All of these facilities are completed, and will be duly commissioned by the end of November this year,” the president said.

The Weta hospital, President Akufo-Addo told guests at the launch, is fitted with an administration department; an outpatient and emergency department; inpatient male, female and paediatric wards; an obstetrics and gynaecology department (maternity and child health); a surgery, including an intensive-care unit; a physiotherapy unit; a pharmacy; a diagnostic services department, including X-ray, laboratory and ultrasound facilities; logistics buildings housing the central sterilisation supply department, laundry, hospital stores, maintenance workshops, power station and medical gases production unit; a mortuary; staff facilities including dining areas and changing facilities; and housing units for critical staff.

Ensure sustainability

In order to ensure that the hospital functions smoothly, the full complement of electro-mechanical systems and medical equipment has been provided.

“To address the issues of maintenance and sustainability, the project scope included a two-year post-completion maintenance and training programme,” the president said.

“I will entreat the Ghana Health Service to liaise with the contractor’s maintenance team to maintain the hospital effectively, and ensure that, after this period, maintenance works on this hospital are carried out routinely.”

Reiterating his government’s commitment to providing quality, accessible and affordable health care in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the president expressed confidence that the new projects in Bamboi, Buipe, Sawla, Somanya, Tolon and Weta will improve the infrastructural stoc, and thereby diminish equity gaps in geographical access to health services.

“I am delighted and honoured by your presence here, and I assure you that this project is a sign of greater things to come for Weta, Ketu North and, indeed, for the whole nation,” President Akufo-Addo said. “The government’s commitment to the total development of Ghana is absolute.”

Wilberforce Asare / Asaase Radio

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