The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated the 160 bed capacity Upper West Regional Hospital at Wa.
The facility is expected to immediately begin admission of patients and be used for other health care services.
The $52m hospital comprises 31 buildings which included medical, administrative services, 20 unit staff housing, central kitchen and laundry, VIP inpatient ward and a landscape external shaded waiting areas.
The facility that was constructed by the Euroget De-Invest Contracting firm, also has a dental, neurology, urology, ophthalmology, cardiology, general surgery, dermatology, orthopedic, general clinic as well as ear, nose and throat clinics.
In a speech to inaugurate the project, the President said the fact that the construction of the hospital had passed through four administrations under the fourth republic with each President contributing his quota to the success story.
“This project has passed through the hands of four successive governments. It was initiated and began under the second President of the fourth Republic, President John Agyekum Kuffour, was continued by his predecessor, the Late Professor John Evans Attach Mills and by his successor John Dramani Mahama and it is being inaugurated by me, the fifth President of the fourth Republic.”
He declared that the act by the successive governments depicted good statesmanship of the country and the continuity of the nation’s institutions and governments and said “it is this continuity that makes our country an attractive destination for foreign investments in our nation, because agreement struck with one government is accepted and respected by successive governments.”
He stated again that the fact that the contractor for the investment was from Egypt, African country showed that there were equally good, competent, qualified and reliable contractors on the continent.
For his part, the Health Minister, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu said that the hospital was anchored by an emergency/casualty unit, a radiology unit, a laboratory and blood bank, a physiotherapy unit, a burns unit, an intensive care unit, a 3-storey in-patient block, a mortuary facility, surgical suites and a parking space for 300 cars, child and maternal centre, among others.
“The hospital is also fully equipped with facilities such as stationed and mobile X-ray machines, CT scan, mamography, ultra sound, operation theatre fully equipped, medical waste treatment plant, aerobic waste treatment plant, among others,” he listed.
Mr Agyeman-Manu said the hospital had been endowed with CCTV cameras which would be reviewed constantly to enhance security of patients and staff as well as the provision of a public address system to reach all staff in cases of emergency.
“All documentations such as financial and commercial agreements were done before the New Patriotic Party lost power in 2018. All agreements were signed by my own Boss and friend, late Kwadwo Baah Wiredu who was then the finance Minister. Actual construction of the project started in 2014 under former President Mahama and indeed he actually cut the sod for the project to commence and end in 36 months but work did not progress steadily after the sod cutting,” he recounted, and said the hospital was now ready for operation.
Mr Agyeman-Manu intimated that four doctors have been appointment for the facility to commence operation and the ministry was still working to employ more staff for the place.
The Chairman of Euroget Group, Dr Said Deraz indicated that the project covered financing which included an 18 years facilities with 1.6 interest rate to be recovered within a four year grace period and it covered engineering, construction, supply and installation of equipment, among others in all 8 hospitals being constructed across the country.
He said the work of the firm would still continue after the hospital had been inaugurated for the next three years to provide remedial services, routine maintenance of equipment, and guidance on the use of some of the equipment, among others to the region.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA