The Board Chairman of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Hon. Hackman Owusu Agyemang, has hinted that COCOBOD is instituting measures to ensure that the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Akuapem Mampong in the Eastern Region is given the necessary support in order to offer the best quality health service delivery.
The COCOBOD Chair stated that, the honour given to Tetteh Quarshie by building the hospital should not be allowed to deteriorate.
He stated this when he led a three-member committee set up by the Board of Directors of COCOBOD to pay a familiarization visit to the facility.
The committee members included; Nana Adwoa Dokua, Hon. Carlos Ahenkorah, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry and Mr. Francis Akwasi Opoku, Solicitor Secretary to the Board to find at first hand, the situation at the hospital
Hon. Owusu Agyemang also suggested that the Tetteh Quarshie Hospital should collaborate with the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine also at Akuapem Mampong and the Cocoa Clinics to find lasting solutions to some health challenges in the region and beyond.
‘We are committed to giving the hospital a phase lift to enable it cater for the increasing health demands within the catchment area and also to handle emergencies’, he said.
Dr. Albert Benneh, the Medical Superintendent In-Charge of the hospital expressed gratitude for the steps being taken by COCOBOD to salvage the plight of the memorial hospital.
He appealed to the Board to facilitate the refurbishment process to enable the facility to operate at full capacity.
Present at the meeting were officials from the Eastern Regional Health Directorate, the Mamponghene Nana Otu Dartey III and his entourage and the Municipal Chief Executive of Akuapem North, Dennis Aboagye.
The committee members also toured the hospital facilities and interacted with staff, out patients and those on admission.
The Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital which was established in February 1961 has a 150 bed capacity and offers various health services including, cervical cancer screening, palliative and geriatric care.
They later toured the Jubilee farm reception centre also at Akuapem Mampong to inspect the progress of work on the ongoing project.
The next port of call was the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial farm where a ground breaking ceremony has been done for the construction of a cocoa museum.