Ghana Presbyterians in Australia donate hospital equipment to Presby Health Services, Ghana

The Ghana Presbyterian Church in Sydney, Australia, has donated hospital equipment worth thousands of dollars to the Ghana Presbyterian Church Health Services in Ghana.

The equipment, valued at about $US170,000, include 150 hospital beds and 100 mattresses. Other items included in the two shipping containers sent to Ghana were dozens of maternity ward baby cots, hospital gloves and medicine trays.

The items were procured following an appeal to the Ghana Presbyterian Church in Sydney by the Rt Rev Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana when he visited Australia in February last year.

"We regard ourselves as quite fortunate in Australia where we enjoy free world-class medical facilities", said Mr Isaac Osei-Kumah, caretaker of the Ghana Presbyterian Church in Sydney.

"We hope our little contribution will go some way to alleviate some of the equipment shortages and a lack of some facilities in Presbyterian hospitals across Ghana", Mr Osei-Kumah added.

He appealed to other Ghana Presbyterian church congregations in the Diaspora to help the church fulfil its mission of care for the less fortunate members of the Ghanaian society.

Mr Osei-Kumah also hinted that the Ghana Presbyterian Church in Sydney is planning to adopt a ward at a Presbyterian hospital in Ghana.

The Ghana Presbyterian Church runs hospitals in Agogo (Ashanti), Donkorkrom (Eastern), Dormaa Ahenkro (Brong Ahafo), Twifo (Central), and Bawku (Upper East). The church is the largest provider of health services in Ghana after the Ghana government and the Roman Catholic Church.

In early 2008, Rt Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso inaugurated the Ghana Presbyterian Church in Sydney.

Among other things, he made a heart-felt appeal to church members to endeavour to help in Ghana's development efforts in any way the members considered suitable.

After several fund raising efforts, some money was raised to help in that regard. The items are yet to be presented to PCG in Accra.

From: Martin Kwakwa Sannah

Sydney, Australia