Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has commissioned Ghana’s first-ever 100-bed Infectious Disease Centre at the Ga-East Municipal Hospital on July 24, 2020.
The $7.5 million project was commenced on April 17, 2020, after a virtual sod-cutting ceremony graced by President Akufo-Addo.
The health facility was sponsored and promoted by the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund through crowdfunding initiative to raise funds to complete the project.
The Ghana Infectious Disease Centre(GIDC) facility comprised a level three Biomedical laboratory, a 21-bed Intensive Care Unit, a dispensary, a triage unit, waiting areas, nurses station, VIP and general wards and a medical gas house, was constructed through the collaboration of civilian and military engineers, planners and architects within three months.
It is expected that the three ecological zones, that's the Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern would have similar facilities, and would be constructed in Takoradi, Kumasi and Tamale respectively.
Addressing the gathering at the commissioning of the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia applauded the patriotic consensus that birthed the medical centre.
“In an interconnected world the risk of COVID-19 is everywhere. Even the most advanced nations have been challenged by COVID-19. Healthcare systems have been stretched, economies have basically gone in recessions. In Ghana government moved swiftly”.
“The private sector response has been impressive. Once we put our minds to it, we will soon discover that we are our own builders and beneficiaries of the Ghana we want. Today is a celebration of Ghanaian ingenuity, patriotism and dedication to humanity by a team of people 536 who work tirelessly to make the impossible a reality”.
Touching on the Fund’s success story, Managing Trustee of the COVID-19 Private Sector Fund, Senyo Hosi said the 100-bed hospital was delivered at a cost of about USD 5.5 million-plus in-kind cost of about USD 2 million, making it a total of USD 7.5 million.
Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, a Deputy Minister of Health, on his part, said the President Akufo-Addo's government had shown leadership in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, which had seen between 87 and 90 per cent recoveries and 0.5 percent mortality rate.
He said the COVID-19 was "visible but not invincible" and believed that should Ghanaians adhere strictly to the safety and preventive etiquettes, “we would defeat the disease.”
The Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund is an initiative by private business people who set it up with a seed fund of ¢1 million while campaigning to raise at least ¢100 million from local and international businesses as well as the general public to aid the fight against COVID-19 in Ghana.
These funds, management say is to help put up similar projects in at least three other regions of the country to deal not only with COVID-19 but also help the nation to tackle future infectious disease epidemics.
