Accra, June 15, GNA - Dr. George Sipa-Adja Yankey, Minister of Health, on Monday commended the medical staff of the 37 Military Hospital for their commitment to stay at post when their colleagues embarked on strike action to press for better conditions of service. He said their resolution to keep on working in such times and not turning patients away in spite of the immense pressure during those times was laudable and very patriotic.

The Minister made the commendation when he toured the facilities of the 37 Military Hospital to interact with the medical staff and know at first hand problems facing the premier military medical facility. Dr Yankey was accompanied on the tour by Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith (Rtd), Minister of Defence, and conducted round by Brigadier General Jaswante Mante Wadhwani, Commandant of the 37 Military Hospital. Some of the places visited included the Maternity, Children, VIP, Medical Emergency and Isolation wards, where problems ranging from lack of basic working equipments, beds and ventilators were reported. The Minister also visited the 37 Military Hospital's Training School, which is housed in a dilapidated building and lacked a modern library and computer facilities.

Other areas visited included the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Centre, which is still under construction and the Emergency Trauma and Surgical Departments.

Dr Yankey underscored the important role the premier military medical facility played in the country's health care delivery system and said immediate attention would be given to the concerns highlighted by the various sections.

The Health Minister commended management for ensuring cleanliness of the facility and urged them to maintain the standard. Dr Yankey pledged that the Ministry, in consultation with the management of the Hospital would in the next few weeks ensure the release of some basic equipment including monitors and stethoscopes to help ease stress and pressure on the few and outmoded ones currently in use at the hospital.

He also promised to ensure the immediate reconstruction of a waiting shed for families and friends of patients of the medical emergency ward over the next few weeks. The Minister said the Ministry intended to rope doctors and health personnel of the 37 Military Hospital onto its Vehicle Purchasing Scheme as motivational packages.

He explained that the scheme enabled members to own brand new vehicles under highly reduced prices, adding that the Ministry of Health would release 10 brand new saloon vehicles within the next few weeks so that interested health officials could sign on to the scheme and collect them. 15 June 09