Government Moves to Improve Accommodation Facilities for Health

Government has stepped up efforts to

improve upon accommodation facilities for health workers in the Ashanti

Region as part of measures to motivate them to work harder.
Mr. Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, the Regional Minister

who announced this, said, for instance, that among the projects being

undertaken by government to meet the above objective included the

construction of a block of flats for nurses which cost about GH¢30.3

million.
Addressing the Regional People's Assembly in Kumasi on

Friday, the Minister pointed out that, the first phase of the project had been

completed and consisted of 32 flats and that the second phase which was

currently underway would also consist of 32 flats upon completion.
Besides, he said, work on the construction of a block of flats

for doctors was almost completed, adding that, the block which costs

several millions of cedis would consist of a total of 49 flats when

completed.
On other health related projects, Mr. Owusu-Ansah stated that a

Maternity and Children's Block which aimed at reducing the pressure and

the current Maternity and Children's Ward was under construction and

explained that the project was about 25 per cent complete.
The Block, he said, will comprise Children and Maternity

Wards, Out-Patient Departments (OPDs), Offices for doctors, a pharmacy

among others.
The Regional Minister touched on the Accident and Emergency

Centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), saying, work on

the project which is the biggest in West Africa was near completion.
The Centre, he said, would consist of Theatres, Accident Units,

Consulting Rooms, X-Ray Units, a Pharmacy, Recovery Wards, a

Mortuary as well as a Helipad where helicopters could take off and land.
Mr. Owusu-Ansah noted that, government was also working

hard to expand facilities at 20 government hospitals in the Region to

enhance health delivery services to the people.
Commenting on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS),

he disclosed that the Scheme had registered a total of 1,816,650 people

representing 40 per cent of the projected population of 4,565,683 in the

Region.
He explained that out of the figure, 1,608,488 representing 89

percent were ID Card bearers assessing free medical care from a total of

251 accredited public facilities and Private providers across the length and

breadth of the Region.
Mr. Owusu-Ansah also touched on other development

projects being embarked upon by government ranged from Agriculture,

Education, Energy, Youth Employment and Water.