Koforidua, Dec. 3, GNA - The Koforidua-based St. Joseph's Hospital is putting up an ultra modern orthopaedics centre to serve as a teaching facility in West Africa.

The management of the hospital has therefore appealed to the government and philanthropists to facilitate the completion of the two million- Euro project, which was started in June 2008. Currently the project is solely financed by a Dutch philanthropist, Mr Van Cardenbough.

Reverend Brother Baptista Torwoe, the Hospital Director, who made this known at a press conference in Koforidua, expressed the hope that the project would be completed on time to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the hospital in 2010. Rev. Torwoe said the hospital was sponsoring the training of two doctors and 30 nurses to meet the human resource needs of the medical facility through its internally generated funds. He said a two-storey doctors flat as well as nurses quarters initiated by the hospital had come to a standstill due to lack of funds coupled with the indebtedness of the National Health Insurance Scheme, amounting to GHc300,000.

Mr Osei Tutu, Project Consultant, said the 200-bed facility, which was 88 per cent completed consisted of four orthopaedic theatres, a post graduate orthopaedic training block and two electronic lift system to facilitate movement of patients. He appealed to the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council to provide access road to the facility. Dr Abu Ahmed, Resident Medical Officer, said the project would enable the hospital to have four additional orthopaedic and neuro-surgeons to undertake surgeries, particularly in joints replacement, which was very vital in orthopaedic treatments. He said limited number of beds was hampering service delivery at the hospital.