Accra, Aug. 6, GNA - The Ministry of Health has provided funds for the continuation of abandoned projects and the refurbishment of five maternity wards and surgical theatres in five hospitals in Accra to ease pressure and congestion at the Ridge Hospital and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The hospitals are Achimota Hospital, Mamobi Hospital, Kaneshie Polyclinic, Mamprobi Polyclinic and Ussher Polyclinic. This came to light when Dr George Sipa Yankey, the Minister of Health, inspected the projects to assess work done so far.

During the tour the hospital administrators who took the minister round complained of congestion at almost all their wards and departments, leakages in some offices and wards, inadequate water storage facilities, lack of rooms for record keeping and patients' folders and poor road networks leading to some hospitals. There were also problems of abandoned projects and the non-installation of imported equipment.

At the Kaneshie Polyclinic, a chemical analyser which was bought three years ago for the laboratory in addition to theatre equipment bought for Ussher Polyclinic two years ago are still in their boxes. Also at the Kaneshie Polyclinic a single room with five beds served as a ward for both male and female patients. In cases of emergencies benches and tables are used.

Achimota Hospital, which recorded 2,000 deliveries last year, has only two delivery beds.

The minister directed the defaulting contractors to go by their agreements with the ministry and said they would be surcharged and the contracts taken away from them if they failed to complete their projects by the period agreed upon.

He said government was worried about the rate of maternal mortality in the country since it could hinder the attainment of Millennium Development Goal number five which talked about reduction in maternal mortality.

Dr Yankey praised health workers and said government was aware of the harsh conditions under which they worked and appealed to them not to be deterred but continue to work for the betterment of the country. He praised the staff at Achimota Hospital for keeping their environment neat and urged other hospitals to emulate their example since "cleanliness is next to godliness".

Dr Yankey also commended Ussher Polyclinic for its Community Psychiatric facility which took care of patients with minor mental problems and expressed government's desire to replicate the facility in other hospitals since this would help to ease congestion at the Accra Psychiatric and Pantang hospitals

The minister who took note of their grievances promised the hospital administrators of government's response and urged them to work for the betterment of the people they served. 6 Aug. 09