President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated the first phase of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, formerly the Ridge Hospital, although the facility will start receiving patients from January 2017.
The refurbished hospital has been equipped with ultra-modern facilities and expanded to a capacity of 420 beds, to improve quality and expand access to healthcare delivery.
The ceremony was graced by former President Jerry John Rawlings, Health Minister; Alex Segbefia, E.T. Mensah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly; Alfred Oko Vanderpuye, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Klottey Korle; Zanetor Rawlings, among others.
President Mahama in a speech read on his behalf by the Health Minister said, “what we are doing is to provide equipment in the new facilities that we have, so that our health professionals will be able to give off their best to the patients.”
He also noted that, the location of the Hospital will provide “excellent accessibility and disposability to the public and would now provide tremendous healthcare services to the population.”
Supporters of the NDC were at the facility in their party colours, to hail President Mahama, the NDC flagbearer, for what they deemed as more evidence of his infrastructure developments, and proof that he deserves a second term with the general elections a week away.
The Medical Director of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Thomas Winsum Anabah, outlined to Citi News’ Caleb Kudah some of the key upgrades to the hospital noting that, the new facility consists of five edifices; including one for staff accommodation, one for the Anesthesia School, one for the mortuary, the utility building and the main facility.
The main facility has an emergency department which has been expanded from the initial six beds to 42-beds along with four theatres to cater for the emergency facility.
The hospital also has an oxygen unit where it will produce its own oxygen;and a water reserve underground which could last for at least a week.
The obstetric unit accompanying the new facility, comes with a 20-bed reception unit, 17 delivery suites, theatres and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to handle natal complications. The ICU of the hospital has 12 theatres and 36 beds.
Speaking on when the hospital will be ready to receive patients, Dr. Anaba expressed hope that patients could start benefiting from the new facility in January.
The Greater Accra Regional Hospital is expected to have a capacity of 629 beds when it is completed.
The original Ridge Hospital was a 191-bed facility, built in 1929, to provide healthcare for British nationals during the colonial era.
The Greater Accra Regional Hospital was funded through a credit facility provided by the Export-Import Bank of United States for an amount of US$157,500,000 and HSBC Bank for an amount of US$92,500,000 respectively.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana