Weta-Adzadokpo (V/R), June 15, GNA- A mission hospital constructed by an American-based social group, International Health and Development Network (IHDN), has been commissioned at the weekend at Weta Adzadokpo in the Ketu North District.

The 800,000 US Dollar facility would run a radio station for health outreach programme for communities in about five districts including Keta, Akatsi, Ketu North and South. The hospital also has consulting rooms, laboratories, an x-ray, pharmacy, Out Patients Department and an emergency theatre and a ward to cater for emergency accident cases in view of its strategic location on the Aflao-Accra highway.

The group had planned to build 220-bed wards, theatres, a nurses training college with hostels and a mortuary. Mr Abraham Odoom, Deputy Minister of Health, who commissioned the facility, its provision was in line with the government's health sector objective of increasing access to health services particularly for people in the rural setting. He said "Our current data show that over 40 per cent of the population particularly rural dwellers are too far from available facilities".

Due to such problems, Mr Odoom said some people in the rural areas had to resolve to quack doctors and explained that it was not as a result of adequate numbers of hospitals but due to their distribution pattern with some districts having over concentration of them. He commended Dr. Edem Agama, a citizen of Agbozume in the region, also president of IHDN, for initiating the project in the district. Mr Odoom appealed to the staff of the hospital and the people to consider the facility as their own and ensure its maintenance. Dr. Agama commended members of the Mission for contributing to the development of health in the area