New Maternity Block For Fomena Health Centre

The ward and theatre block

A NEW maternity and theatre block for the Fomena Health Centre to promote health delivery has been inaugurated at the community in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region.

The MTN Ghana Foundation constructed the single-storey block, which has 20 beds and a theatre at a cost of GH¢250,000.

Until this new health infrastructure, the Fomena Health Centre did not have wards for admission, which made it impossible for the centre to perform to its maximum capabilities.

The centre would provide students of the Community Nursing Training School the opportunity to have clinical experience at the health centre.

In his inaugural address, James Bukari Basintale, MTN general manager for the Northern Business District, said the construction of the block was part of the company's commitment of helping to improve healthcare delivery in the country.

Mr. Basintale said since Ashanti Region was statistically leading in maternal deaths with the ratio standing at 315 per 100,000 live births, it called for joint efforts by all stakeholders in improving the situation.

'The provision of this infrastructure is therefore expected to help reduce maternal mortality, increase access to primary healthcare and also help Ghana attain the millennium development goals,' he pointed out.

According to him, MTN was extremely proud of the investment as the theatre and wards would serve thousands of people living in and around the Adansi North District.

Mr. Basintale stated that MTN Ghana Foundation had invested over GH¢11, 000,000 on various community development projects in the areas of health and education.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Majdoub, conceded that the challenges in the sector were quite enormous for government alone to cope with. He therefore called on corporate organizations to emulate the kind gesture of MTN.

He said the search for an approved health facility befitting the status of Fomena had been a priority to him since assumption of office as the DCE.

 From Ernest Kofi Adu, Fomena