At the moment phase 1 of the project which started two years ago is 65 percent complete. The project will be completed next year.
Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Victor Asare Bampoe, and officials of the hospital toured the facility to check the progress of work on the first phase.
It was revealed that the hospital which currently has a capacity of 192 will be upgraded to 400 upon completion of the first phase by the end of this year.
The first phase will comprise 17 delivery rooms, school of anesthesia, accommodation for staff, an extension of the mortuary, maintenance workshop, student classroom with a demonstration room as well as logistics building and a kitchen.
Dr. Bampoe said he was impressed with the level of work at the site and said the ministry will do its best to ensure their completion and make way for the commencement of phase 2.
He indicated that “already, discussions are ongoing about funding with the Ministry of Finance for the second face because it’s actually the second face which will not only give 200 beds but would also make this hospital more functional.
“This is because it has some of the high earning facilities like the IVF, the Cathlab which can even make this hospital a center for medical tourism.”
The expansion is purposely to ease pressure at major health facilities in the region.
the director of medical services at the ridge hospital Dr. Thomas Anabah said some works at the hospital would have to be outsourced to be able maintain it in a best possible way.
He noted that “we can’t depend on what Ghanaians would pay to run this hospital or we cannot depend on what the National Health Insurance would pay to run this hospital. We need to attract corporate bodies within Ghana who can pay.
“We need to attract international insurance companies who have clients coming into this country so that they assess this hospital so we get money from them to maintain the facility.”
The second phase of the project when completed would add 200 more beds to the facility.
By Martin Asiedu-Dartey|3news.com|Ghana
Twitter: @NewsyMartin
