President Mills cuts sod for general hospital aided by China

2009/04/30

 

　　On 29th April 2009, President John Evans Atta Mills took a further step in redeeming his pledge to improve the nation's health delivery when he cut the sod for work to commence on a Chinese Government assisted 100-bed capacity general hospital and malaria research centre at Teshie in Accra.

 

　　The President expressed gratitude to the Chinese Government for the assistance, and prayed for wisdom and direction for the Government to be able to fulfill its promises, which he described as sacred to the people of Ghana.

　　He reiterated Government's commitment to improve the health delivery, but stressed healthy lifestyles, sound environmental maintenance and proper sanitation for disease prevention to save the nation money to tackle other areas of national development concerns. While appealing to local and traditional authorities to create the necessary conducive environment for the project to be completed on schedule, President Mills gave an assurance of fair distribution of national projects.

　　H.E. Yu Wenzhe, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, said good health care delivery was one of the main ways to the advancement of the social and economic well being of the people. He spoke of Chinese assistance in the health sector to a number of African countries, which, he said, China saw as reliable partners. Another area that China has committed itself to is the construction of the Bui Hydro Power Dam Project, and Mr Wenzhe said China would keep all its commitments to Ghana.

　　Dr George Yankey, Minister of Health, said Government would exempt all construction equipment machines and medical equipment and other materials required for the project and personal belongings of the Chinese engineering technicians specifically assigned to the project from the payment of customs. There would also be VAT relief for the purchase of local building materials.

　　The hospital, located at Teshie Tsuibleo in Accra, is being constructed at a cost of about 7.5 million US dollars grant from the Chinese government. The project is in furtherance of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation, under which the Government of the People's Republic of China decided to build a 100-bed General Hospital with a malaria research centre for Ghana. The facility would serve the Teshie-Nungua communities, who for some time now have been going to either the La or the Tema General Hospitals, the two nearest public health facilities, which are kilometers away.

 

　　

　　Source:

　　Ghana News Agency