Kumasi (Ashanti), 19th 99 ?

The 150 million-cedi rehabilitated mother and baby unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), one of the most modern well-equipped units in Africa, was commissioned in Kumasi on Friday.

It comprises six incubators for pre-mature babies and a photo-therapy unit, which breaks neurobin in babies born with jaundiced skin and can accommodate 36 babies and their mothers.

The project which is falls under the first phase rehabilitation of the unit, was jointly undertaken by the management of Guinness Ghana Limited (GGL) and Consar Limited, a building and civil engineering firm.

It was commissioned by Lady Min Greener, wife of Sir Tony Greener, chairman of DIAGO, a joint partnership between Guinness International and Grand Metropolitan, a food and drinks manufacturing company in Britain.

She said the facilities would help improve the health of babies and nursing mothers.

Lady Greener, who presented keys of the unit to the hospital, commended the medical officers and the nurses for their dedication and hard work.

Professor Joseph W. Acheampong, medical administrator and a director of GGL, said the project was initiated in 1997 after a visit to the hospital by a delegation from the company.

He announced that GGL would adopt the ward after the completion of the second phase of the project to help maintain high standards and provide comfort for patients.

Dr Charles Poku, Head of the Department of Paediatrics who received the keys, said completion of the unit is a major step in the hospital's child health care delivery efforts to become a baby friendly hospital by the year 2000.