President Rawlings Commissions 1.5bC Surgery Unit

Accra President Jerry John Rawlings today commissioned the 1.5 billion-cedi Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit at the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital and said it will become a centre of excellence for the sub-region. With doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and an enthusiastic crowd cheering, President Rawlings said: "It will become a centre of excellence not (rpt not) just for Ghana but for our whole sub-region with the expertise to deal with birth deformities, severe burns, buruli ulcer, tumours and other conditions''. The 70-bed unit, the biggest in Africa, was built through funding from the government as well as several bilateral and multilateral donors. They include the European Union which gave 100 million cedis, and 500 million cedis in the form of specialized equipment and financial support towards the construction of the theatre complex from Japan, and Ghana Government's 340 million cedis. Other voluntary donors included the British Women's Association, the North American Women's Association, Volta River Authority and TAYSEC. The West Scotland Rotary Clubs, with the help of the West Scotland Hospitals Group, provided 200,000 pounds sterling worth of hospital furniture and equipment. The unit, whose construction started in 1994, has two theatres, a ward each for females, males and children and a photographic studio. It also has three VIP wards, three treatment rooms, three consulting rooms and recovery and intensive care wards. President Rawlings said it would be impossible to mention all the many people and organizations who contributed materials and time and effort towards the building of the unit. "On behalf of the present and future generations of Ghanaians, I thank you most sincerely''. The President gave national awards to five personalities for their outstanding contribution to national development. The number includes two who contributed immensely to the building of the unit. Professor Jack Mustarde, a retired Scottish surgeon, who was described as the driving force behind efforts to raise funds and other assistance for the project, was awarded the Order of the Volta, Honorary Division. The other winner was Mrs Evelyn Tay who gave "dedicated service in coordinating, organising and raising funds for the project''. She was awarded the Grand Medal, Honorary Division. Other award winners are Dr John Awoonor-Williams, a 37-year old doctor based in the Nkwanta District who was given Grand Medal, Civil Division, Dr Vincent Witts who is based at Nalerigu, collected the Grand Medal, Honorary Division, on behalf of the Baptist Centre in Nalerigu. Dr Juan Kassal Costa of the Koforidua St Joseph's Hospital was awarded the Grand Medal, Honorary Division.

President Rawlings suggested the setting up of a fund to help needy patients who might come to the unit. "No doubt, the charitable organisations and individuals who have helped so far will be ready to contribute to such a fund to ensure that the needy can benefit from these fine facilities''. He was particularly grateful for the role played by Prof Mustarde. ''His tenacity in pursuing what at first seemed an idealistic vision has been remarkable''. "We hope that he will have many more years of association with this project since today's ceremony marks not an end but a beginning''. Gri