President Kufuor has announced a ?77.3 billion package for the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, to save the nation’s premier hospital from collapse.

The President announced the package at a meeting with top management personnel after a two-hour tour of the hospital. Giving the breakdown of the package, the President said government intends to spend ?50 billion on the rehabilitation and refurbishment of the Medical Block out of which ?10 billion is ready for take-off of the project. The medical block was closed down following its dilapidated state.

Another ?22.5 billion will be used to complete the SSNIT blocks of flats to accommodate about 200 medical staff to ease the accommodation problem facing the hospital. An amount of ?4.8 billion has been voted for the rehabilitation of the theatre of the Maternity Block. The President also instructed the Health Minister to provide a second theatre at the same block within a month.

He also announced that government is working feverishly with the Japanese Embassy in Ghana to assist in the rehabilitation of the Children’s Block. Mr Kufuor described Korle-Bu as a monumental asset “which should not have been allowed to deteriorate to such abysmal level.

Korle-Bu has all that a hospital should have and yet it is in ruins while doctors trained here are working in different parts of the globe.” Describing the state of affairs at the hospital as nothing to write home about, the President said “there are cracks and traps all over the place and windows are falling out while people are lying all over the floor. Indeed the wards are becoming a place for infection and contamination.”

He said government is determined and resolved to restore Korle-Bu to its past glory as one of the best in Africa. The acting Chief Executive of the Hospital, Dr B. T. Annan said the corporate aim of the hospital is to provide quality service for all. He announced that the hospital handles about 1,500 patients daily with an average daily admission of 150.