Healthcare delivery in northern Ghana took a giant stride yesterday, when President John Dramani Mahama inaugurated phase one of the Tamale Teaching Hospital project and cut the sod for the phase two.
The first phase, involving the rehabilitation and expansion of existing structures and installation of new equipment, cost 39. 3 million euros, while the second phase will cost 48.5 million euros. The two projects are expected to add a major boost to the government's quest to develop the hospital into an international facility of excellence.
Funding for the projects are provided by the Dutch and Ghanaian governments.
Second phase
Specific projects under the second phase include the construction of a five-storey block with medical and surgical wards, faculty offices, tutorial and conference rooms; a second five-storey block with operating theatres, maternity wards and facilities; a three-story accident and emergency building and reception area, as well as beds for emergencies.
Others are: a link building, a new mortuary with pathology unit and laboratory; a new medical gases plant; assorted medical equipment; ancillary facilities including power plant; waste management section and staff accommodation..
Completion of the first phase brought the bed capacity of the hospital to 400. The second phase will add 400 more beds and increase the bed capacity of the hospital to 800.
Background of the project
The Tamale Hospital was constructed in 1974, but it had not seen any major rehabilitation for years until about two years ago when the late President, Professor John Atta Mills cut the sod for the commencement of the first phase of rehabilitation and upgrading of the facility to the status of a teaching hospital. Since then, the government has worked assiduously to ensure the continuation of the project.
Inaugurating the project, President Mahama stressed the government's determination to invest heavily in healthcare, since quality health for the people was paramount in building a vibrant nation.
He described the Tamale Teaching Hospital project as a critical investment that would bring a lot of benefits to the people of the Northern Region and beyond and said it was his vision to see to it that the hospital became the best in every aspect of health delivery.
With the rapid increase in the population of Tamale in particular and the Northern Region in general, the President said it was very important to ensure that the health facilities matched the growth.
The population of the city that was about 400,000 when the hospital was constructed in 1974, has more than quadrupled.
Touching on the NDC government's social democratic principles, Mr Mahama said that had informed the emphasis placed on projects that would improve the lot of the people.
On medical training at the University for Development Studies ( UDS), the President expressed delight that the medical students now used the new facilities at the hospital. He also said the fact that the teaching hospital would also provide training for allied health personnel would add another dimension to its importance.
President Mahama promised that every region would have a regional hospital by the end of his term and charged the hospital's management to take good care of the facilities and renew their commitment to their jobs.
He also paid tribute to his predecessor who initiated the project.
Health minister
The Minister of Health, Ms Sherry Ayitey, said the projects would enable the UDS to produce more doctors for the northern sector and the entire nation. She said this year, the hospital would introduce a programme that would help improve the nutrition of children in the three northern regions.
The CEO of the hospital, Dr Prosper Akambom, praised the government for fulfilling its promise to the people of the region.
Regional Minister
The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Bede Ziedeng, in a welcome address, said the people in the region would forever be grateful to the government for living up to its promise to help change the face of health delivery in the region.
The Deputy Head of Mission of The Netherlands Embassy in Ghana, Mr Harry van Dijk, said The Netherlands was proud to be part of the project.
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