Obuasi, July 2, GNA - The AngloGold Ashanti Hospital at Obuasi is being upgraded to provide improved health care services to its employees, their dependants and communities in its catchment area. Dr E C Augustt, Surgical Specialist in-charge of the Hospital, who announced this, said the first phase, which involved the supply of new equipment at the theatre and the wards had been completed.

Speaking to the press after the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi branch of the National Service Personnel Association had undertaken a general clean-up exercise at the Children's Ward of the Hospital on Republic Day, Dr Augustt said the next stage of the upgrading would be the refurbishment of all the wards and other departments of the Hospital. Members of the Association numbering more than 20 scrubbed the floor, cleaned the walls and the louvers, washed the curtains and swept around the Ward. They also presented fruits including oranges, pineapples and banana to the children on admission.

Dr Augustt expressed appreciation to the national service personnel and called for public involvement in the management of health institutions in the country. He said the AngloGold Ashanti Hospital was serving a lot of people within and outside Obuasi and that such gestures could promotes good relations between the Hospital and the public. He encouraged the public to form groups and engaged the Hospital staff in friendly games to enhance community participation in the affairs of the Hospital.

The president of the Association, Mr Emmanuel Takyi, said the exercise formed part of the group's initiative to support the development of the society. He appealed to the government and other stakeholders to help address the difficulties national service personnel face in serving their country. Mr Takyi said despite the economic conditions in the society, the allowances being offered to them were rather worsening their plight. Mr Elton Annan, Community Development Superintendent of the company, commended members of the Association for their self-help spirit, saying, that was the first time in the history of the company that service personnel had organised such clean-up exercise at the Hospital.