Government would improve district hospitals - Veep

Akim Oda (E/R), Sept 22, GNA - Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice President, has said government would build casualty wards, out-patient departments, laboratories and provide modern equipment for all district hospitals to enhance health care delivery in the country. He said the Oda Government Hospital would be rehabilitated as part of government's medium term health sector infrastructure development agenda. Alhaji Aliu said these in speech read on his behalf by Mr. Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, at the 80th anniversary celebration of the Akim Oda Government Hospital. He said " Haven been established in 1927 as a sub-project of the 1919-1927 Guggisberg plan, the Oda Government Hospital can still be compared to hospitals constructed in the post independence era".

The Vice President pledged that government would address all problems of the health sector including inadequate personnel, transportation and logistics.

He said the culture of maintenance which the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government has been espousing at the commissioning of physical projects, was a call on Ghanaians to ensure that the facilities lasted long. In a related development, 200,000 Ghana Cedis children's ward of the hospital, built with funds from the municipal assembly, was inaugurated.

Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Oda, donated a pick-up vehicle, while DUKES Petroleum Company donated medical equipment and beverages to the hospital.

Dr. (Mrs) Gladys Ashitey, Deputy Minister of Health, urged management of hospitals and government officials to work together to improve health delivery in the country.

Dr. Erasmus E.A. Agongo, the Regional Director of Health Services, commended staff of the Akim Oda Government Hospital saying "Your remarkable performance earned you several regional awards, including best hospital award in the region in 2001, second position in 1998, 2000 and 2002 and slipped to the third position in 2007". Dr. Alexander Osei-Bonsu, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said the health facility served a population of over 300,000 people. He appealed to individuals and organisations to support the health sector since government alone could not shoulder such responsibility.