Weija Clinic, Others For Facelift
The upgrading of the Communicable Disease Clinic at Weija into a fully functional hospital remains a priority of the Ministry of Health, according to the sector Minister, Dr. George Sipa Yankey.
Answering a question from Member of Parliament (MP) for Weija Constituency, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway on the floor of Parliament on Friday, the Health Minister disclosed that an assessment of the suitability of the proposed site for the project has already been carried out by the Capital Investment Management Unit of the Ministry.
Dr. Yankey added that the expansion and upgrading of the clinic would be done as soon as funds for capital projects submitted for consideration are approved by Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MOFEP).
“As part of the development of all satellite health facilities in the country, Weija and other facilities would be given the necessary attention when funds are available,” Dr. Yankey assured.
The Health Minister also answered health-related questions from Frank Boakye Agyen, Simons Addai, MPs for Effiduase Asokore and Techiman South respectively.
Effiduase Government Hospital is the main health facility in the Sekyere East District of Ashanti. The hospital currently has a limited space available for its operations.
Dr. Yankey said his Ministry with support from the Sekyere East District Assembly started a number of development projects to provide the hospital with facilities such as a theatre, wards and mortuary. However, these projects have stalled due to lack of funds.
The Ministry, he added, will continue to collaborate with the district assembly for the completion of all on-going projects.
“Further upgrading of the hospital with facilities and provision of accommodation for staff would commence as soon as funds are available from the Ministry's capital expenditure budget,” Dr. Yankey intimated.
Touching on some of the challenges of the Forikrom Health Centre, the Minister indicated it has accommodation for the Medical Assistant and some other staff, acknowledging however that the accommodation block has deteriorated over the years.
According to him, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Techiman Municipal Assembly and the Chief of Forikrom is renovating the building.
“It is hoped that renovation works would be completed by the end of this year. The construction of new residential units for staff would be done by the end of next financial year,” Dr. Yankey promised.
On some of challenges of Tanoso Health Centre in the Brong Ahafo Region, the Minister pointed out that the problem of inadequate equipment is not only limited to the Centre but the majority of health facilities within the Techiman Municipality, noting most of the equipment are old and obsolete.
He however indicated that plans are far advanced to procure basic equipment to all health facilities in the Techiman Municipality under the High Impact Rapid Delivery (BIRD) Programme of the Ministry, to meet the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.
“The Regional Equipment Manager has already gone round all the health facilities within the Municipality to assess the equipment situation and quantities that may be required by each facility,” Dr. Yankey concluded.
By Awudu Mahama