Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith, Minister of Defence on Wednesday inaugurated a rehabilitated block for Medical Emergency at the 37 Military Hospital.

The more than 30-bed facility, was rehabilitated at a total cost of GH¢152,340.00 by TOBINCO Pharmaceuticals Limited, which also adopted the facility to ensure its regular upkeep.

Lt. Gen. Smith, who unveiled a plague and cut the tape to inaugurate the block, thanked the benefactors for their commitment and support towards the institution.

He noted: “This will go a long way to motivate the staff of the centre to work harder to ensure quality health service delivery.”

He explained that most of the structures and facilities at the Hospital are very old, dating as far back as the World-war II, and therefore needed major renovations.

He indicated that as the National Emergency and Disaster centre, the 37 Military Hospitals is expected to expand its services to the wider public and to achieve its objectives, it must have a separate budget to effectively run affairs.

He said the Hospital currently depends on the budget of the Ministry of Defence and its Internally Generated Fund, which are woefully inadequate.

Lt. Gen. Smith said the Ministry has written to Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, requesting for a separate budget to be drawn for the Hospital.

He said his sector Ministry intends to make the Hospital an envy of West Africa.

He called on philanthropists and corporate institutions to emulate the gesture of TOBINCO Pharmaceuticals Limited to help expand medical facilities to promote high standards in the country’s medical and health facilities.

Mr. Isaac Obed Brown, Financial Controller, of the company said the rehabilitation exercise was in line with TOBINCO’s corporate social responsibility.

He said the Hospital plays a critical role in emergency health service delivery, and needed to be supported to encourage not only hard work among the staff but also provide a conducive environment for both patients and staff.

He urged the hospital administrators to adopt high sense of maintenance culture to prolong the healthy use of the facility.

Brigadier General Paul Kponyoh of the medical facility explained that the emergency unit of the hospital has been decentralised to fulfill its new assignment as a Medical Emergency and Disaster Centre.

These, he said included the gynaecology, paediatric as well as the neonatal units which are now separated in terms of emergency, apart from the medical and surgical emergency units and therefore needed theatres to prevent obstruction and delays in surgeries.