GHANA – Ghana has launched the new Ketu North District Hospital worth €19.6 million (US$22) with a 60-bed capacity which was commissioned by President Akufo-Addo to enhance quality healthcare delivery in the Volta region.
The health facility will offer outpatient department services like eye and dental services, public health services, antenatal care and transition services with more services expected to be added in time.
President Akufo-Addo authorized the health facility project to commence in 20th October 2020 but the project did not take off until 2022 because of lack of enough funding for construction and equipment acquisition.
The Medical Superintendent Dr. Wilson Edem Sarbah announced that an 11-member management team was posted to the hospital in August 2021 by the Volta Regional Health Directorate to ready the facility for full-scale health service delivery.
The team however could not function effectively due to the unavailability of seed capital, sustainable water supply, official vehicles, staff accommodation and other resources required to enable the hospital to start providing comprehensive and quality health care.
During the launching ceremony, the hospital management, Regional Health Directorate together with the Municipal Assembly informed the general public that the new facility was open to receive patients for treatment since many people were unaware of its operation.
The Member of Parliament representing Ketu North Constituency James Klutse Avedzi allocated funds to open an account for the hospital, pay for its health insurance and administrative expenses as well financed drilling of a borehole for the hospital after several appeals.
In addition, the CEO of Sesi-Edem Company Limited Gabriel Kwamegah Atokple donated three air conditioners, a motorbike, a refrigerator, a microwave, surgical gloves and face masks to accelerate the opening of the health facility.
The Ketu North Municipal Chief Executive Anthony Avorgbedor contracted Zoomlion to fumigate the hospital while the Paramount Chief of Weta Togbe Akpo Ashiakpor VI and his accommodation committee assisted most of the staff to get accommodation.
Assembly Member David Dzikunu also contributed to the inauguration of the new infrastructure through handling community relations to ensure peaceful coexisting between with the surrounding communities.
Health Regulatory Agency partners PharmAccess
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) has entered into a strategic partnership with PharmAccess Group to improve access to standardized health care delivery in Ghana.
Registrar of HeFRA Dr. Philip Bannor has called for collaborative efforts with international not-for-profit organizations to ensure that regional health offices can provide support by monitoring other facilities in the region.
As part of the partnership, PharmAccess will engage and partner with the right stakeholders thus helping HeFRA to achieve the strategic goal of access to quality care in Ghana.
HeFRA has also launched a Mobile Online Information System (MOIS) to offer a singular national system that assesses all health care providers through the same set of standards.
The platform collects and organizes health information on every step of the inspection to license pipeline that enables citizens to make informed health-seeking decisions.
Moreover, HeFRA is required to carry out an inspection and provide a license confirming a new health facility in Ghana reaches acceptable safety and quality requirements.
The Agency also inspects the availability of certified staff and ensures everyone who operates medical equipment has the necessary license.
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