President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday cut the sod for the redevelopment of La General Hospital.
The President, at the sod-cutting ceremony, said that the redevelopment was a report from the Ghana Health Service, which indicated that the five-storey structure of the Hospital had developed gaping cracks, which made the facility unfit for use.
More also, the unplanned nature of the entire hospital required that it be re-organised so that it can function efficiently as a 21st-century hospital.
As a policy of the government to achieve Universal Health Coverage for all, the President explained that it was for that reason the government had to source funding to embark on the redevelopment of the Hospital, given its strategic location in nation’s healthcare delivery system.
“This facility, in so many ways, complements the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge and its upgrading will serve most people from Osu through La and Teshie, as well as residents living along the coastal corridor of Accra,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo continued, “Indeed, with admissions to this Hospital, arising from maternal health and other related complications, increasing from 20.5% in 2008, to 30% in 2017, and with pregnancy and related conditions, for the first time in the history of the life of this Hospital, being the number one cause of admission, require that we improve rapidly the facilities of this hospital.”
This redevelopment project is being financed by a credit facility from Standard Chartered Bank of the United Kingdom, with an export credit guarantee from Sinosure of the People’s Republic of China, to the tune of €68 million, with an insurance cover of €3,860,349.18.
The project will be undertaken by the Chinese company, Poly Changda, which has wide-ranging experience in China and other parts of Africa in the construction of healthcare facilities.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
