Kumasi, (Ashanti Region) 16 Oct.,

The government has given approval for the release of 173 million cedis towards the completion of all rehabilitation works at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi. The departments being rehabilitated are the A 1 Theatre, the East and West wings of the main theatre, the Labour Ward and the X-ray departments. Some of the projects were contracted in 1974 and 1996. These were announced by Mr. Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, Deputy Minister of Health when he paid a one-day official visit to the hospital to inspect progress of work on the rehabilitation of the Radiotherapy unit in Kumasi yesterday. Mr. Nuamah-Donkor said with the release of the funds, the contractors are expected to complete about 95 per cent of the projects by the end of November and hand them over to the ministry by December. The Deputy Minister directed the management of Mandillas Company, an aircondition and refrigeration company to install all the airconditioners at the main theatre within one week or the ministry will take serious action against them. "Already warranty on the machines and equipment have elapsed due to delay in completion of the civil works. Mandillas cannot hold us to ransom while patients are denied services of the theatre and KATH cannot meet its obligations to the people", he said.