A 650 million-cedi (65,000 pounds sterling) Burns Intensive Care Unit (BICU) for the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, was commissioned on Thursday.

The East of Scotland Rotary Club, which provided 26,000 pounds, and Rotary International, which made available 9,000 pounds, jointly financed the project.

The Reconstructive Plastic Surgery project in Ghana donated equipment worth 15,000 pounds while other donors assisted with equipment worth 15,000 pounds.

Mr Arthur M. Morris, a plastic surgeon Consultant from Dundee, Scotland, who commissioned the Unit, said it forms an integral part of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Project in Ghana.

He said the unit would maintain trained experts and would be adequately equipped to enable it to function after volunteers there return to their various countries.

"This is in contrast to other aid projects where a group comes to operate for a short time and at the end goes home, taking all their equipment with them."

Mr Morris requested the Ministry of Health to train local experts on sustainable basis to man the unit.

Dr Pius Agbenorku, Head of the Unit, and six nurses have been rained for the unit, which admits six adults and two children at full capacity.

Mr Morris said the scope of Plastic Surgery is very wide, encompassing burn treatment and care for patients with trauma, congenital deformity (usually children), requiring cleft lip and palate hand surgery, cancer and acquired deformity such as Buruli Ulcer.

He said the Unit will require paediatric facilities and an operation theatre for inpatient adults but added that outpatients would need minor operating and wound dressing facilities.

Mr Edwin K. Agyapong, President of Rotary Club of Kumasi, appealed to the Kumasi Traditional Council and the Management of KATH for land for the construction of a complete burns centre that can cater for the northern sector of the country.

He asked corporate institutions and organisations to assist the club in its efforts at ensuring effective health care delivery for the people.

Dr Agbenorku said the Unit will ensure international standards in surgical practice.