President Akufo-Addo singled out the first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo for praise for the work she did to get the maternity ward for the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital [KATH] completed today.

The President speaking at the Manhyia Palace when he paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene also reaffirmed his resolve to complete the 40-year-old uncompleted maternity block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

“The contributions of my wife Rebecca to the mother and child ward of the Akomfo Anokye teaching hospital has received a lot of praise. There is one thing I want to do help this hospital. I am also hoping I will get funds to complete this hospital which has been abandoned for 40 years.” the President said.

The President pledged to make available the necessary funds to complete other areas of the Komfo Anokye teaching hospital including the maternity ward “which has been abandoned for 40 years.”

Today the President will launch the greater Kumasi roads facelift program and inspect the asphalt overlay projects in the region.

€15 needed to retool KATH; CEO calls for gov’t support

Earlier this week the management of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) projected about 15 million Euros as the amount needed for the retooling the hospital.

Equipment that has been installed at the facility for over an extended period and exceeded their lifespan has not been replaced.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KATH, Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso who made the appeal at a ceremony to launch an Automated Urinalysis Equipment at the facility expressed concern over equipment issues at the facility- describing it as “not the best.”

Rebecca Akufo-Addo commissions newly built KATH maternity ward

In January this year, first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo opened the newly built KATH maternity ward after raising an amount of GH10 million cedis to construct a new mother and baby unit at the Komfo Anokye teaching hospital in the Ashanti region.

The KATH maternity block which began in 1974 had stalled for more than 40 years.

According to media reports, the 1,000-bed facility project would cost more than $70m to finish.