A 40-bed capacity Maternity Block, being funded by MTN Foundation for the Tema General Hospital, has been constructed to improve health delivery at the Hospital.

The GH¢4 million project, which is 98 per cent complete, was started in November 2016 and is expected to be completed and handed over to the Hospital for use by November this year.

The project contains a 20-bed first stage ward, 20-bed lying-in ward, a theatre, nurses’ station and changing rooms, sluice rooms, pharmacy, store, consulting rooms, doctors’ restrooms and other associated facilities to make the facility functional and offer better services to expectant mothers.

A team from the Foundation on Tuesday visited the Hospital to assess the progress of work.

Mrs Rhoderlyn Entsua-Mensah, a Manager for Sustainability and Social Impact of MTN Foundation addressing the media after the inspection said the project was necessitated by a news item which highlighted the struggle faced by the Hospital to raise funds to complete its maternity ward.

She said the facility is expected to help relieve the pressure on existing facilities at the Hospital, as a result of the increasing population.

The project, she said is anticipated to serve the growing health needs of the over 12,000 pregnant women who visit the Hospital annually for deliveries.

She said the Tema General Hospital was the third highest in the country with regards to delivery.

Mrs Entsua-Mensah said the Foundation would also support equipping of the maternity block and be commissioned in November to commemorate the Foundation’s anniversary.

She added that Tema General Hospital had committed to a maintenance plan and MTN would ensure the plan was sustained.

Dr Kwabena Opoku-Adusei, Medical Director, Tema General Hospital, commended the Foundation for the support, adding that the project would cater for the increasing number of patients in the Hospital.

Mr Nathan Ansah, Project Architect for MULTICAD Consulting Architect said the project was expected to be handed over on September 8.