New Sunyani Regional Hospital starts clinical work

Sunyani, Aug 4, GNA - A non-denominational and dedication service was held in Sunyani on Monday to herald the start of clinical work at the 45 million pounds Brong Ahafo Regional Hospital.

The ultra-modern hospital will be formally commissioned in November this year when all necessary equipment would have been installed for full operations.

Units to function under this first phase are the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, Dental Department, Dietetic Unit, Psychiatric Unit and Internal Medicine.

Politicians, chiefs, queenmothers, medical personnel, clergy, security service personnel and a cross-section of the general public attended the ceremony.

In an address, Nana Kwadwo Seinti, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, said the fact that the construction of the new Regional Hospital dated as far back as 1969-1972 was proof that successive governments were committed to improving the health status of the people.

He said the main thrust of health care delivery over the years has been "to improve the overall health status and reduce inequalities in health outcomes of the people."

The Regional Minister appealed to health workers to complement the government's efforts to improve health care delivery "by finding a more humane method of accessing better conditions of service other than strikes that result in the deaths of innocent patients".

Nana Seinti said to be a health worker was a noble call and deplored strike actions by such workers. "Such actions are incompatible with the tenets of the health profession, your training and your calling."

He appealed to health workers to use established grievance resolution mechanisms in their conditions of service to resolve "such petty conflicts".

''The present situation where health workers unilaterally resort to industrial actions to have their grievances resolved and in the process cause the loss of precious lives is unacceptable and morally incorrect.''

He said the government is aware of the difficult conditions under which some health workers operate but urged them to exercise restraint and put their skills and knowledge "at the service of fellow citizens whose sweat and toil made your training possible."

Alhaji Dr. Mohammed Bin Ibrahim, Regional Director of Ghana Health Services (GHS) reiterated that the hospital would be officially inaugurated after "Management has the full complement of services and equipment in the hospital."

He said the vision of GHS regarding the new hospital was that of a model secondary health care facility for best clinical practice in the country and beyond and gave the assurance that the facility would provide the highest quality health care consistent with the service's standards.

''We hope to maintain the equipment, estates and other facilities in this hospital to gain the accolade as one of the cleanest, neatest and customer-friendly hospitals in Africa.''

Dr Daniel Asare, Medical Director in-charge of the Regional Hospital, said since the official opening of the old regional hospital in 1929 its bed capacity had been around 150.

From 1969 to 1972, the then Busia government realised the need for a larger and structurally better Hospital for the Region and started the construction of the doctors' bungalows, Nursing Training College and the Nurses Quarters to secure the human resource requirement of the new hospital.

Dr. Asare said after the exit of the Busia government in 1972 the tempo for the need to construct the new regional hospital went down until between 1983 and 1990 when Nana Sunyanihene and Dr. C.J. Oppong sent several memos and petitions to succeeding Ministers for Health on the need to build a new regional hospital.

He said it was not until 1993 when the NDC Government announced that new regional hospitals were to be built in Cape Coast, Ho and Sunyani and that saw the beginning of it all.

Later speaking to newsmen, Mr. Neil Ashurst, General Manager of International Hospital Group, the Contractors, described the new hospital as one of the best in Africa with regards to its architectural design and modern-type equipment available.

He gave the assurance that the new hospital would become fully operational before the end of the year, adding that nurses to be posted to the new hospital would undergo further training to be able to handle the sophisticated equipment to ensure their longevity and effectiveness. The function was presided over by Nana Asor Nkrawiri II, Omanhene of Sunyani Traditional Area.