The MTN Ghana Foundation has commissioned a fully furnished 40 bed maternity block for Tema General Hospital at a cost of GH¢5.5 million.
The maternity block will serve over 22,000 anti-natal patients who visit the Tema General Hospital annually. The newly commissioned ultra-modern maternity block comprises the following:
• 20 bed 1st stage ward
• 20 bed lying-in ward
• a theatre
• two bed delivery wards
• a seven-bed monitoring/recovery ward.
• two consulting rooms
• two doctor’s office/restrooms and nurses offices
The others include a station & changing room, sluice rooms, pantry & store, kitchenette/eatery, washrooms and a reception.
Tema General Hospital records one of the highest deliveries in the country and attracts patients from Prampam, Ada and other surrounding towns. The hospital delivered over 7,000 babies in 2017 only and attends to over 22, 000 pregnant women annually. The old maternity ward, with 10 beds was woefully inadequate to cater for the maternity needs of the hospital. MTN Ghana Foundation initiated the project to help ease congestion at the hospital.
Speaking at the commissioning, Prof. Plange Rhule a Board Member of the MTN Ghana Foundation said, “MTN Ghana Foundation’s decision to build the maternity block for the Tema General Hospital was triggered by a television news item which highlighted the challenges that hospitals like the Tema General Hospital face.” He said, “The provision of this medical facility will turn around the story of the Tema General Hospital maternity unit which previously had a negative reputation of congestion.”
The CEO of MTN Ghana, Mr. Selorm Adadevoh highlighted the fact that, the facility is the single most valuable investment that has been made by the MTN Ghana Foundation. He said, “What is important is that MTN as an organization identified a need in the country as we always do and we have taken steps to help address these needs”.
“We expect that, the facility will make the lives of our expectant mothers and staff a whole lot brighter, in line with MTN’s mission statement. It is also our hope that, the provision of this facility will help improve maternal and neonatal health in Tema and its surrounding communities, improve the quality of care, as well as help reduce Ghana’s maternal mortality rate which still remains high,” he added.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Madam Tina Mensah appealed to the management of the hospital to adopt good maintenance culture in order to preserve the facility. On his part, the Deputy Minister of Communications, Honourable George Andah commended MTN Ghana for investing in the lives of the people.
The Medical Director of Tema General Hospital, Dr. Kwabena Opoku-Adusei expressed his profound gratitude to MTN Ghana Foundation for bringing such great relief to the Hospital since its establishment over 60 years ago.
The official opening and handing over of the maternity block was attended by various dignitaries including the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. L Xingwana, MP for Tema East and Deputy Minister of Transport, Hon. Nii Kwartei Titus Glover, MP for Tema West and Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Carlos Ahenkorah, the MP for Tema Central, Hon. Kofi Brako. The other dignitaries were Nii Adjei Kraku ll, Chief of Tema, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Executives and staff volunteers of MTN Ghana.
The project is one of the three legacy projects that was initiated to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Scancom PLC in Ghana. The construction of the maternity block commenced in November 2016 and was completed within a year and half.
Health is one of the focus areas of the MTN Ghana Foundation and the Tema General hospital project falls under it. Since its establishment in 2007, the MTN Foundation has invested in 52 health projects across the country. Some of these projects include the refurbishment of the second floor labour ward of the Korle Bu maternity unit.
A few years later, MTN replaced some of the equipment at the Korle Bu maternity ward. In the northern region, the Foundation built a Neo-natal Center for the Tamale Teaching Hospital. At the Ejisu Government Hospital in the Ashanti Region, the MTN Ghana Foundation constructed a 20-bed maternity block fully furnished with medical equipment. In the Western region, MTN undertook the renovation of the Labour ward, Lying-in ward and expanded the Antenatal Unit of the Effia Nkwanta Regional hospital.