Tamale (Northern Region), Feb. '99 -

Work on the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Tamale regional hospital into Ghana's third Teaching Hospital is due to start next month following government's allocation of 204 billion cedis for the project. When completed the hospital's capacity will increase from 380 beds to 434 beds, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, hospital superintendent said when he conducted Mr Joshua Alabi, Northern Regional Minister, round the hospital. The hospital, built in 1974 with facilities for all categories of specialists, now lacks specialists in gynaecology, and paediatrics, as well as laboratory technicians. Water supply is also a big problem. Dr Nsiah-Asare said on completion of the project the hospital would offer effective health delivery without referring any cases to Accra and stressed the need for more specialists to be posted to

the hospital. On sanitation and water, he said the management of the hospital has liaised with the Tamale municipal assembly for the construction of appropriate toilet facilities for patients and their visitors. Reservoirs have already been constructed to serve the various wards. Dr Nsiah-Asare complained about encroachment of the hospital's premises by private developers and appealed to the municipal assembly to help stop such encroachment while the fence wall is under construction. Mr Alabi commended the medical staff for their sacrifices and appealed to qualified health personnel to accept postings to the teaching hospital. He urged the medical students, who are now in their third year to make the best use of the scarce facilities to ensure the success of their courses.