Health Minister breaks grounds for hospital projects in Ashanti Region
The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, has called on the electorates in Twedie and Manso Nkwanta to retain the government in the December 2020 general election for continued development of their areas.
The Minister made the call when he broke the ground for work to commence on two 40-bed district hospital at Twedie in the Antwima Kwanwoma and Manso Nkwanta Districts respectively at the start of a two-day working visit to the Ashanti Region yesterday.
The government, Health Minister said, is mindful of the health of its citizens and explains its commitment to improving the health status of all residents in the country through improving health care infrastructure across the country.
He said an amount of €71,500,000 has been secured from Erste Group Bank AG and Česká Spořitelna a.s towards the construction and equipping of twelve 40-bed hospitals, which will also include 12-units of 2-bedroom semi-detached accommodation for hospital workers which Twedie is beneficiary.
The Health Minister disclosed that the loan facility is covered by an export credit guarantee of €8,612,931.3 from the EGAP of Czech Republic, and beneficiary communities include Jumapo, Kwabeng, Nkwatia, Achiase, Suame, Drobonso, Sabronum, Manso Nkwanta, Adukrom, Mim and Kpone Katamanso and Twedie
The Health Minister explained that the twelve 40-bed hospitals projects, to be developed on a Turnkey basis, which will be constructed by VAMED Engineering GmbH of Austria, have a total of 470 beds and are expected to be completed in 24 months.
Hon. Agyeman-Manu said it was obvious that thegovernment’s commitment to achieving the SDGs and UHC from the foregoing cannot be downplayed, adding that extending primary health care services to the doorstep of communities and individuals remains on the agenda of the Government and “this I promise will be delivered without fail”.
- According to the Minister, siting of health infrastructure projects at these communities was principally intended at improving geographical access to healthcare thereby impacting on the reduction of the burden of maternal and child health morbidity and mortali
Baafuor Agyei Fosu Twitwikwa, Otumfuor Anantahene, commended the government for the infrastructural developments in the area and pledge their support for the projects.
The District Chief Executive of Antwima Kwanwoma, Hon, Nana Okere Tiwah Antwi, said the hospital will serve over 60 communities across the district when completed. He appealed to the Ministry of Health to upgrade the Foase and Trabuom Health centres to 20-bed capacity policlinics.
At Manso Nkwanta, the Honourable Health Minister disclosed that treatment centres have been constructed at the 37-Military Hospital, Pantang and Dodowa to address the COVID-19 issues. “Works are currently ongoing at the Kumasi Treatment Centre at Sewua”, adding that a 70-bed facility at Toase in the Atwima District has been leased by the Government to manage and treat Covid-19 cases in the Ashanti Region.
The Health Minister appealed to citizens to adhere to the COVID-19 protocols of handwashing, wearing of masks and social distancing to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, while the government is putting in measures to provide the necessary infrastructure and the requisite medical equipment.
When completed, the hospitals will have an Out Patient Department with the requisite consulting rooms, Public Health Department with; 36-seater capacity waiting, three ante-natal consulting rooms, a counselling room and two offices for Public Health Officers. Theatre consisting of one Surgical Suite, one Minor theatre, 2-bed recovery ward a Sterilization unit
The 40-bed ward of the hospitals will also consist of 8-bed Paediatric Ward, 8-bed Male Ward, 8-bed Female Ward, four Labour Delivery stations, 8-bed Maternity Ward, 4-bed Lying-in and 2-bed Recovery room. The visit would take him to Sabronum and Drbonso as well.
The Health Minister prior to the ground-breaking events, paid a courtesy call on the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah at his residence.
Source: MoH PR Unit