President Akufo-Addo has commissioned the 120-bed Bekwai Municipal Hospital, a project which started during the military junta headed by General I.K. Acheampong some 40 years ago which was not given serious attention by subsequent governments.
Commissioning the hospital, on Saturday, President Akufo-Addo said the government is committed to continuing with and completing major infrastructure projects inherited from previous governments for the benefit of all.
“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.
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 two, three and four semi-detached bedrooms); male & female wards; recovery ward; medical gas plant; three operating theatres and offices.
Additionally, the hospital has a central sterilisation 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).
“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,” the President admonished.
He promised that “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.
