The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has cut the sod for a 40-bed municipal hospital in Kpone in the Greater Accra Region.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the sod-cutting ceremony represents another important milestone in the government’s commitment to guaranteeing access to health care for all Ghanaians by improving existing health-care facilities and building new clinics and hospitals in places in the country where none exist.
The president told guests at the sod-cutting that the government has secured funding towards the construction and equipping of 12 hospitals with the associated staff accommodation for hospital workers. Kpone is one of the beneficiary communities.
A sum of €75.5 million from Erste Group Bank AG and Česká Spořitelna AS has been secured towards building and equipping the 12 hospitals. This is covered by an export credit guarantee of €8.612 million from EGAP of the Czech Republic, the state-owned Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation.
The facility will be built by VAMED Engineering GmbH of Austria, a global leader in construction of health-care infrastructure. The other beneficiary communities will be Jumapo, Kwabeng, Nkwatia, Achiase and Adukrom in the Eastern Region; Suame, Drobonso, Sabronum, Manso Nkwanta and Twedie in the Ashanti Region; and Mim in the Ahafo Region.
All 12 projects, including the one in Kpone, are scheduled to be completed in 24 months.
The commencement of these projects, President Akufo-Addo said, serves as further evidence of the government’s commitment to achieve the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage for Ghanaians.
Post-construction warranty and training
On completion, the Kpone Municipal Hospital will be fitted with staff offices, an outpatient department and a public health wing, a surgical suite consisting of a theatre, recovery ward, sterilisation unit, delivery unit and neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU), a laboratory, a pharmacy, X-ray department, male, female and paediatric wards, a services block containing a laundry, stores and cold room, and staff accommodation.
Other components of the project package include supply and installation of medical equipment, one-year post-completion warranty and maintenance, and a training component for staff.
The president urged the contractor, VAMED Engineering GmbH, to work assiduously and ensure that the Kpone project is delivered on time and on budget. He also said he expects that the contractors will employ local people during the construction period.
“Niimεi, 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 Kpone and, indeed, for the whole nation. The government’s commitment to the total development of Ghana is absolute,” he declared.
New Tema Regional Hospital
Later in the day, President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for construction of a 400-bed secondary-level hospital, to be located in Tema.
Through ASHRA, the Israeli state-owned export credit agency, with an ASHRA insurance premium of €20.339 million, a sum of €140 million has been secured for construction of the Nkoranza District Hospital, a 400-bed secondary-level hospital at Tema, an accident and emergency department and a ward at Dormaa Hospital, and reconstruction of the Central Medical Stores, which burned down in January 2015.
Building work on the Tema hospital will be undertaken by Engineering, Development & Construction Company Ltd, based in Ramat-Gan, Israel. The firm is familiar with the Ghanaian terrain, having realised a number of building projects in the country.
Click the link below to listen to President Akufo-Addo.
Wilberforce Asare / Asaase Radio
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