President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday inspected structures under construction at the 37 Military Hospital.

The hospital, built in 1941 to cater for soldiers and their dependants, now treats people from all segments of the society, thus over-stretching its facilities.

An official of the hospital told the Ghana News Agency that: "The problem becomes more acute when doctors and nurses at Korle Bu and Ridge Hospitals go on strike. Our limited facilities prove inadequate under such circumstances." It was therefore decided that the facility should be expanded by adding new departments with state-of-the-art equipment. When completed, it would be able to cope with the ever increasing volume of work.

President Rawlings was accompanied by Professor Kwaku Danso-Boafo, Minister of Health, Lieutenant-Colonel E.K.T. Donkor, Minister of Defence, and Brigadier Dan Twum, Director of the Armed Forces Medical Services.

He was briefed about progress of work as well as some of the problems the constructors are facing.

Brig. Twum said there were minor renovations in 1988 but these were found to be inadequate. "The renovations were cosmetic. They were not as extensive as expected.

"Now, the theatre and mortuary have been expanded. Some of the wards have also been renovated. It is our long-term plan to have all our structures rehabilitated."

Brig. Twum told the President that departments under construction are the Burns Unit, Radiology Department and wards for other ranks. They would be completed by the end of December.

He said statistics have shown that more deaths occur at the Military Hospital when doctors and nurses at Korle Bu and Ridge hospitals go on strike. "Facilities at 37 get over-stretched, thus more people die.

"My advice to health workers is: 'do not go on strike. You kill people when you lay down your tools.'"

Brig. Twum said new pipelines have been laid and new transformers have been installed, adding: "We also have on the drawing board a nursing training college, a midwifery school and an anaesthetic school. We want to make the military hospital a centre of excellence".

Prof. Danso-Boafo said his ministry would assist the hospital to live up to expectation.