The 120-bed capability Sekyere Kumawu District Hospital within the Ashanti area is lastly opened for public use after a 10-year wait.
Residents are excited they’ll now entry healthcare on the facility after contractors, NMS Infrastructure Limited, handed it over to well being authorities on Monday, April 14, 2024.
Health authorities say all departments will begin operations newest by ending of May forward of official commissioning.
However, the Maternity Unit and administration will start work on the new facility on Tuesday, April 15, 2024.
Construction works on the 120-bed capability Sekyere Kumawu District Hospital, a turnkey challenge, began in 2014.
Despite the challenge struggling undue delays as a result of funding constraints and re-variations that altered building schedules, contractors delivered a world-class-standard well being facility.
The facility comes with the complete complement of a district hospital, with all of the departments and items one can consider.
Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine, Surgery, Traditional Medicine, and Mortuary are a number of the departments on the new Sekyere Kumawu District Hospital.
NMS Infrastructure Limited designed, constructed and outfitted the brand new hospital, which is able to serve Asante Mampong, Nsuta, Beposo, Kwamang and its environs, in addition to the Afram Plains, Kumawu and Effiduase areas.
Deputy Director of Health Services in Charge of Administration within the Ashanti area, Micah Asare Bediako says the motion of workers and all items from the previous polyclinic will comply with by way of a relocation plan.
“We’ve had our roadmap and movement plan. We’ve discussed it extensively with management and the district health directorate so immediately this project is handed over to us, tomorrow (Tuesday, April 15, 2024) the hospital administration, and maternity wing of the polyclinic will move into this place.”
Monday’s handover ceremony marks the top of a number of years of ready by residents of Sekyere Kumawu and its environs, who, till now, have been compelled to entry healthcare from an improvised polyclinic.
Mr Bediako expressed appreciation to conventional authorities within the space, officers of the Ministry of Health and the contractors, and NMSI for the nice work completed regardless of the challenge struggling delays.
“We would like to thank the Ministry of Health, Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Health, the contractors; NMSI for the good work that you have done,” he mentioned.
In appreciation of the standard of labor completed, he added, “Although it has taken more time to complete this project, we appreciate the work that you have done.”
The handover ceremony and subsequent opening of the ability comes at a time when well being authorities are battling the maternal mortality price, which stands at 125 per 100,000 dwell births.
An elated Medical Superintendent of the Kumawu Polyclinic, Dr. Alex Agbanu, says residents have likened the brand new district hospital to a resort as a result of its state-of-the-art installations.
“We’ve been looking forward to this for a very long time and I’m happy today, all of us have seen what we are seeing.”
“People come here and they wonder; is it a hospital or a hotel?”
Dr. Agbanu is hopeful the newly constructed facility will contribute to the well being authority’s battle towards maternal mortality circumstances within the space.
Aerial view of Doctors & Nurses Quarters
“The maternal mortality issues have not been too different from what pertains nationally and even in the region. Because we do not have the necessary equipment, what happens is sometimes we do refer some of the cases we don’t have the capacity to manage.”
“I think with this new facility and all the equipment it has and the personnel that are coming in, we would be able to manage most of the cases.” Dr.Agbanu added.
Paediatric Ward at Sekyere Kumawu District Hospital
Among those that have heaved a sigh of aid are the workers of the Infrastructure Directorate of the Ministry of Health.
Their unrelenting efforts have paid off because the hospital is operationalized.
Head of Capital Investment and Project Management Unit, Ministry of Health, Kwame Amponsah Sarfo who was as soon as summoned to look earlier than conventional authorities informed JoyNews, “I am full of relief and I believe everybody, including, my director is relieved,” he mentioned.
“Why do I say so, because at some point, we were summoned to the Chief’s palace to answer questions on why the project was not moving on and so for it to have come to fruition, it’s all good for us” He defined.
Meanwhile, the Director of NMS Infrastructure Limited, Stephen Bush, says his firm is poised to ship extra world-class well being infrastructure initiatives in Ghana.
NMS Infrastructure has obtained reward for delivering British-standard amenities at Dodowa within the Greater area, Adansi North Hospital at Fomena with Sekyere Kumasi District Hospital being the most recent addition.
“We hope to continue with the health programme here. The original idea was to be here for a long time.”