Accra, Nov. 5, GNA - The government and the Saudi Fund for Development on Wednesday signed a 14 million-dollar loan agreement to assist in rehabilitating and expanding of the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.

The project to be completed in 2012 involves the construction of new public health and dental services block, expansion and development of infrastructure and provision of hospital equipment. It aimed at increasing the capacity, efficiency and effectiveness of the facilities of the hospital to provide quality health care to the people of the Upper East Region. The agreement was signed by Dr Anthony Osei Akoto, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Mr Yousef Al-Bassam, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Saudi Fund for Development.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Accra, Mr Abraham Dwuma Odoom, Deputy Minister of Health said government was determined to improve quality and equity of access to essential health care to ensure that the sector played an essential role in the country's poverty reduction strategy.

Mr Odoom said besides quality, improvement on the geographical access to primary and secondary health care through infrastructural development was a core part of the Ministry's strategy. He said the Ministry had established a Project Implementation Unit to see to the activation of the project's components and timely delivery to make quality health care available to the people of the region. Mr Al-Bassam said the agreement marked continuity of the cooperation between the two countries.

He pledged the fund's commitment to financing other development projects aimed at improving social standards. The loan which consisted of attracts one per cent interest rate and is payable within 30 years with 10 years grace period.