Bagbin tours the new Trauma and Specialist Hospital at Winneba

Mr. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, Minister of Health has toured the newly constructed Trauma and Specialist facility at the Winneba Hospital to ascertain the readiness of the facility and its human resources.

The facility which would commence operations in June this year, would operate as a well resourced secondary referral hospital and centre of excellence, capable of providing comprehensive health care with facilities for medical training and research.

Dr Richard S. Anongura, Acting Medical Director of the Hospital, who gave an overview of the facility said, construction started in June 2009 at an initial total cost of 18 million Euros and initially intended to serve as a 120-bed District Hospital for Winneba.

He said it now had a 135-bed capacity, 150 professional staff of which four were specialists, two medical officers, 55 professional nurses and 77 auxiliary staff, including 35 national service personnel.

The facility comprises of an administrative block, Out Patient Department, theatre, maternity, accident and emergency department, paediatric, male and female wards, laboratories, a gym for physiotherapy, laundry, kitchen and a mortuary.

It has a stand-by power generator and several staff accommodation, most of which were still under construction.

Dr Anongura said the hospital would ensure the promotion of good governance, introduction of high Information Technology systems to promote quality health care, minimise institutional maternal and infant mortalities to acceptable targets, and ensure high environmental sanitation and hygiene.

He however appealed to the Ministry of Health (MOH) to provide seed capital to cover the initial operation costs of drugs and non-drugs, janitorial services, security and transport for its utility services and accreditation as a National Health Insurance Service provider.

Dr Anongura said the management would organise regular in-house training for its staff on quality customer care to ensure high standard of service delivery.

Mr Bagbin expressed satisfaction at the quality of work done and gave the assurance that the Ministry had taken cognisance of the remaining challenges of the hospital and would institute measures to address them as soon as possible to ensure its smooth operation.

He noted that citing the facility on the western corridor which was often prone to traumatic and gory accidents was to help alleviate the suffering of the people of the area.

Mr. Bagbin challenged the management to ensure that measures are put in place for regular maintenance of equipment and structures.

He urged the management not to rely on the initial contract agreement of the contractors regarding maintenance of the infrastructure, which were often inadequate, but had their own comprehensive plan to take care of the facility.

Mr Bagbin asked the staff, particularly nurses to exhibit positive attitudes towards the patients and gave the assurance that the Ministry was negotiating with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) to ensure improved conditions of service for all health workers.**