The first phase of the University of Ghana (UG) Medical centre, a world class hospital with specialized services has been officially opened by outgoing President John Dramani Mahama in a short ceremony in Accra.
The ultra modern 617 bed facility hospital, constructed with a $217m loan from Israel, comprises seven buildings offering different specialized health services.
The medical centre which is the first of its kind in West Africa will be a referral centre for tertiary and regional hospitals and provide specialized services for accidents and emergency, imaging, obstetrics & gynaecology, pediatrics, internal medicine and surgery among others.
It also has a walk-in facility for patients who are desirous of specialist care. The centre will add to the teaching facility of the University of Ghana Medical School offering students the state of the art facility for health professionals.
Officially opening the facility, President Mahama observed that the completion of the 1st phase of the project reflects a milestone in the country's quest for quality health care delivery.
He said the 2nd phase of the project will include securing budget for salaries of staff of the hospital in the first five years and utilities such as water and waste management as well as the cost of the construction.
Mr. Mahama said it was his hope the in-coming government of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo will pay personal interest and continue the work done at the centre to make the project fully operational in the shortest possible time.
He believed that after the five years, the hospital should be in a position to raise enough revenue to exist on its own as an autonomous centre.
“I have no doubt in my mind that the impact of this health facility in health care delivery and the training of health care professionals in this country is going to be enormous,” he said.
Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, Vice Chancellor, University of Ghana in a statement indicated that the coming on board of the new medical centre with the state of the art facilities for teaching, service and research at a specialist level will provide a platform for enhancing not only the collective output of the College of Health Sciences but also health service delivery in the country.
He said as part of the loan package, about 71 medical personnel had received short-term training at Sheba Medical Centre in Israel in preparation for the commencement of operations of the hospital.
The Vice Chancellor, however, noted that the progress notwithstanding, there are a few issues that needed government's prompt attention including the approval of request for financial clearance by the Ministry of Finance for recruitment of staff, approval of cabinet memo for phase 2, approval of the 2017 budget for the UGMC and the approval of seed capital for purchase of drug and non-drug consumables.
“We are extremely hopeful Your Excellency, that these issues will receive prompt attention so that this magnificent hospital can commence its operations without further delay,” Prof. Owusu stressed.
The Phase one of the Medical Centre is about 98 percent complete.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
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