Ghana Atomic Energy Commission hospital gets a general ward

By Christabel Addo, GNA
Accra, April 15, GNA - Professor Benjamin J. B. Nyarko, Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), has officially opened a 30-bed capacity general ward for the GAEC hospital at Atomic, near Dome.

The GH¢ 1,032,736.10 facility which is on the ground floor and the first phase of a two-story building project was raised through the hospital's Internally Generated Fund (IGF).

Prof Nyarko at a short ceremony, expressed his satisfaction with the facility saying it provides a platform for extensive medical care, not only for the Commission's staff, but also for the expanding catchment area.

He said the hospital has seen a steady increase in its Out Patient Department (OPD) attendance over the years and in 2015, recorded 45,352 attendance, with malaria, diabetes, hypertension, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrheal disease and asthma among others being the top among diseases recorded.

He said notwithstanding the fact that although the management of some of these conditions required 24 hour services, patients had to be referred to neighbouring facilities to continue their treatment due to the lack of a wards to accommodate them.

The facility, which was initially established to provide health care for GAEC's staff, has since gone through several transformational processes to meet the growing health needs of the people in the catchment area, where patients come from as far as Pokuase, Musoku, Brekusu, Kwabenya and the Ashongman Estate to access healthcare, he said.

Notable among the transformation, he said, were the intensification of safe motherhood activities, which has led to an increase in antenatal attendance, and the subsequent the construction of a maternity block with a theatre at a cost of GHC 579,661.83 -also mobilised through its IGF.

Prof Nyarko said the maternity facility has since its inception conducted over 600 deliveries and over 700 surgeries.

He mentioned some of the services provided as maternity and theatre services, reproductive and child health services, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV, Family Planning services, electrocardiograph, eye care services, laboratory, pharmacy and health promotion among others.

The Director-General said the Management of the hospital were currently initiating steps to construct an X-Ray Unit and this would require the assistance of all stakeholders to ensure the realisation of the goal.

GAEC, he said, has also joined the fight against the increasing incidence of cancer and other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, and the pursuit of that goal was the main driving force for the establishment of a Medical Technology Park.

He said the park would be used for research and development, education and training for early detection and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

He said the Commission has also entered into a partnership to bring on board further specialist services such as Computed Topography (CT) scan and Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) units.

Dr Anthony Quampah, the Medical Superintendent at the GAEC Hospital, said the facility gained its current status from that of a clinic as a result of the wide range of services it currently provides.

Present to witness the occasion include representatives from the Ga East Municipal Health Directorate and the Ghana Association of Quasi-Government Health Institutions.

GNA