President cuts sod for construction of Shama District Hospital.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo today cut the sod for the construction a 100-bed two-storey Shama District Hospital in the Western Region.

The €32 million project, which is being funded by Standard Chartered Bank with credit guarantee support from Sinosure China will be executed by Poly Changda Oversees Engineering Company Limited.

Addressing dignitaries at the project site, President Akufo-Addo said funds for the execution of project have been secured, therefore the project will not suffer any bottlenecks during the period of execution.

He described Poly Changda Oversees Engineering Company Limited, contractors of the project, as experienced professionals whose works are dotted in China and other parts of Africa and are leaders in hospital infrastructure construction.

He urged the people in the area to give him another term during the forthcoming general election to enable him continue the projects his government has started. The President also appealed to the people to vote for the parliamentary candidate of the party in the in general elections.

The Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, said the government has almost completed all the hospital projects started by the previous administration. He disclosed that some projects initiated by former President Kufuor stalled under the previous administration, but the government is in the process of completing them.

The government, he said, embarked on the construction of health facilities close to communities to ensure easy access to by the inhabitants. This will therefore ensure that nobody is denied access to healthcare due to geographical location or financial constraints.

On the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the Health Minister said the most effective mode of preventing the spread of the virus is through the wearing of face masks and cleanliness. He therefore appealed to the public to observe the Covid-19 protocols to curb the spread of the disease.

Hon. Agyeman-Manu said the Shama District Hospital project will open employment opportunities for the people living in the area. He disclosed that he is in discussion with the contractor to use the local labour force for the execution of the project.

The facility, which will replace the health centre and the polyclinic under construction, will be fitted with the state of the art facilities. Clinical support facilities of the hospital will include an accident and emergency unit, out patients department, consulting rooms, physiotherapy unit and adjunct facilities for dental, ophthalmology and ENT treatment.

Others facilities include paediatric ward, male and female wards, a maternity ward, laboratory and public health department among others.