Accra, Dec. 21, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday announced that government would soon construct a general hospital to serve patients within the Madina and Adenta catchment areas. He said a loan facility had also been forwarded to Parliament and upon approval, funds would be made available to complete all abandoned health projects throughout the country.

Vice President Mahama announced this when he inaugurated the $7.2 million, 100-bed capacity Ledzekuku-Krower Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) General Hospital at Teshie, a suburb of Accra.

The hospital, which has surgical, medical, obstetric and gynaecology, dental, physiotherapy, and ophthalmology Departments among other facilities was funded by a Chinese grant and executed by China Geo-Engineering Corporation. It is also expected to provide quality health care to the people of Teshie and its environs, serve over one million people and to stem the high rate of infant and maternal mortality in the catchment areas. Vice President Mahama said the provision of the medical facilities was aimed at reducing pressure on the Korle-Bu, 37 Military, Ridge and Police hospitals that had always witnessed congestion.

He said government had completed an agreement to supply 150 ambulances to health facilities throughout the country to reduce deaths resulting from casualties and to provide emergency health service to accident victims and other patients under critical conditions.

He lauded China for their tremendous support to the infrastructural development of Ghana and the particular interest in establishing a traditional medicine centre in the LEKMA General Hospital.

Dr Benjamin Kunbour, Minister of Health said the inclusion of the Chinese Traditional Medicine and Malaria Research Centres to the facility was not only aimed at integrating orthodox and traditional medicine, but to improve on the perennial fight against malaria, which was still contributory to mortality, particularly among pregnant women and children.

Mr Gong Jian Zhong, Chinese Ambassador said his country had since 2006 supported Ghana with anti-malaria drugs at an annual cost of $40,000.00 and promised to strengthen relations between China and Ghana in the coming years.