New Hospital Inaugurated By Ghana Baptist Convention And Cuyahoga Valley Church

Accra, Sept 13, GNA-The Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC) in partnership with the Cuyahoga Valley Church, Cleveland Ohio, USA, have commissioned an ultra-modern hospital for the people of Nvellenu in the Jomoro District of the Western Region.

The hospital, which is the first phase was built with the intention of becoming a tertiary one and is equipped with first class facilities at a cost of $760,000.

It has a theatre, dispensary/pharmacy, emergency, maternity and recovery wards, injection room, ultra-sound scan and record offices, consulting rooms and a laboratory.

The second phase of the hospital will constitute the major in-patient wards structure, a radiology department, a 42-room two- story staff quarters and a much more-bigger theatre.

The construction of the hospital was necessitated by the long distance of travel by the GBC missionary in, and the people of the Nvellenu community to access healthcare and it will ease their burden of travelling far for healthcare delivery.

The hospital will serve the people of the Jomoro Municipal, Ellembelle and Nzema East Districts and its laboratory is the best among all laboratories throughout the municipality and the districts.

Reverend Washington Komla Darke, Vice President Administration of the GBC said it existed to evangelise people, disciple believers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, plant churches, train leaders and minister to meet the spiritual and socio-economic needs of people through strong and vibrant structures and institutions, and in cooperation with relevant bodies.

He said the Convention and its International Mission Board partners for the past sixty years had complemented government efforts in the provision of quality health care for the people of North Eastern part of Ghana through the Baptist Medical Centre (BMC), Nalerigu.

Rev Komla Darke said the BMC, served as a district health facility and had a bed capacity of about 180, and was expected to increase to 300 by the close of year.

He said the establishment of the hospitals was in line with the vision and mission of the Church, adding that, for the past 16 years, the Nzema home missionary has worked tirelessly to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people considered as unreached people group with the establishment of about 56 churches.

Rev Komla Darke said, for the past four years, the GBC Health Service worked for the accreditation of seven health facilities by the Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) including; the hospital and was mindful of the importance of addressing the basic social needs from the grass-root level.

'The GBC commits itself to continue to complement government's effort at reducing the maternal and child mortality rate, control the spread of preventable diseases such as HIV and AIDS, Malaria and many more through its health facilities and programmes and hope that the convention collaboration with Government will be enhanced for the benefit of the Citizenry'.

The Vice President said the CVC group recognised that health care facility was a critical need for the people of Nzema, which they committed themselves to put up.

He said the Convention envisaged the expansion of the hospital to be a tertiary hospital in the years to come.'The CVC have also committed to paying staff remuneration and allowances until the BHS is able to secure posting from CHAG and the Convention appreciates the dedication of CVC to ensure the people of Nzema have the best of health care'.

Rev Komla Darke said the GBC through its Medical Services Council and the Baptist Health Services would continue to explore other funding avenues to supplement the contribution of CVC and other partners to make the Nzema and all Baptist Hospitals a Centre of excellence.

'Our Training Centre at Frankadua in the Eastern Region trains ex-Trokosi girls, Early childhood schools in the Mafia area of the Volta Region, the Baptist Child Development Programmes in the Northern Region benefiting over 2000 children, provision of boreholes for community, relief support, the establishment of Kumasi Academy and Ghana Baptist University College'.

Dr Ron P. Cleveland, Team Leader of the CVC said many human hands had played a role in the planning, financing, and the construction of the hospital and each one of them was involved by God to accomplish the purpose.

He said 'there were also many people who played roles in the building project, especially, Pastor Rick Duncan, the former Senior Pastor and Missions Director at Cuyahoga Valley Church, whose vision and passion for global missions encouraged us all to come to Ghana.'

Nana Moamezie II of Tiapoum thanked the GBC and CVC for adding social intervention responsibilities to its gospel proclamation and appealed to them for a nursing school to support the community.

Other dignitaries present were; the Dr. Gabriel Sakyi Kwofie, Chairman Medical Services Council, Mr. Ernest Kwofie, The Municipal Chief Executive, Dr. Isaac Duah, Deputy Director of CHAG, Municipal Director of Health Services and Heads of Organisations.