MTN Ghana Foundation has cut sod for the construction of a modern, fully equipped 60-bed Accident and Emergency (A&E) facility at the Our Lady of Grace Catholic Hospital at Breman Asikuma in the Central Region.
The two-storey facility, expected to be completed within 12 months, is projected to become the largest emergency care facility undertaken by the MTN Ghana Foundation.
The project is expected to significantly improve emergency healthcare delivery in Breman Asikuma, the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District and surrounding areas, particularly at a time when health facilities across the country continue to grapple with congestion and the “No-Bed Syndrome”.
The facility will comprise male and female wards, a pharmacy, revenue office, theatre, laboratory, staff rest room, isolation ward, sterilisation room, staff offices and a staff changing room.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr Robert Kudzoe, said the project formed part of the Foundation’s commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure and expanding access to quality emergency care across the country.
He said the investment was also in line with Sustainable Development Goal Three (SDG 3), which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
Mr Kudzoe said emergency care was not new territory for the MTN Ghana Foundation, citing previous investments in emergency healthcare facilities across the country.
“Emergency care is not new ground for MTN. We built the Accident and Emergency Centre at the Bawjiase Polyclinic and this year, we handed over a 35-bed Accident and Emergency block at the Ho Teaching Hospital,” he stated.
He disclosed that the Foundation had refurbished more than 3,000 hospital beds and accessories in health facilities across the country.
He added that the Foundation was also concluding procurement processes to deliver another 1,000 hospital beds to selected hospitals nationwide.
Mr Kudzoe said the MTN Ghana Foundation, which was established in 2007, had focused its interventions on three key areas — health, education and economic empowerment.
“Across the 16 regions of the country, you’ll find the Foundation’s footprint,” he said.
He explained that the new facility would enable patients to receive timely and quality emergency care while easing pressure on the existing facilities at the hospital.
“At MTN, everybody deserves the benefit of a modern, simple, connected life. We do not only connect calls and data; we exist to connect people to better lives,” Mr Kudzoe said.
He charged the contractors to execute the project with quality, integrity and professionalism and ensure that it was completed within the stipulated 12-month period.
The Medical Director of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Hospital, Dr Francis E. Bentil, said the project had come at a critical time, as the hospital continued to experience a steady increase in emergency cases.
The nearly 90-year-old hospital is one of the major healthcare institutions serving the Central Region.
It currently has a total bed capacity of 150, while its existing Accident and Emergency Unit has only 20 beds.
Dr Bentil said the hospital attends to 82,000 patients annually, with about 30 people accessing the Accident and Emergency Unit daily.
He said the hospital served communities within its immediate catchment area as well as patients from other parts of the country, including parts of Accra and the Eastern Region.
According to him, the increasing number of emergency cases had placed considerable pressure on the existing unit, making it difficult for the hospital to accommodate patients requiring urgent attention.
“It is not uncommon to find patients receiving emergency treatment while seated in chairs, with intravenous infusions running, because all available beds are occupied. This has been a significant challenge for the hospital,” Dr Bentil said.
He expressed profound gratitude to the MTN Ghana Foundation for the intervention, describing the investment as a major boost to healthcare delivery.
“We express our deepest gratitude to the MTN Ghana Foundation. Your investment in this emergency facility is an investment in lives, hope and the future of healthcare,” he stated.
The Hospital Manager of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Hospital, Rev. Sr. Edwige Gaba, expressed deep appreciation to the MTN Ghana Foundation for sponsoring the construction of the new 60-bed Accident and Emergency block.
She described the sod-cutting ceremony as a historic moment for the hospital and noted that the project would provide a major boost to emergency healthcare delivery in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa and beyond.
Rev. Sr. Gaba said the facility would not only serve residents of the District but also patients from other parts of the region and beyond, given the hospital’s role as a major referral centre.
She said the partnership between Our Lady of Grace Catholic Hospital and the MTN Ghana Foundation could be likened to that of “identical twins”, working together towards the common goal of improving maternal and emergency healthcare.
She expressed the hospital’s commitment to ensuring that the facility remained properly maintained after completion, stressing that a strong maintenance culture would be essential to preserving the investment and building confidence for future partnerships.
Rev. Sr. Gaba urged the contractors to adhere to the highest standards of workmanship and complete the project within the agreed timeframe.
She also called on residents of the area to support the construction team to ensure the smooth execution of the project.
She welcomed the guests to Asikuma Odoben Brakwa and encouraged them to enjoy the hospitality, food and friendliness of the people of the area.
The Central Regional Director of Health, Dr Alberta Adjebeng Biritwum-Nyarko, described emergency healthcare as one of the most critical components of every health system.
She said the proposed 60-bed emergency facility represented a major investment in healthcare delivery in the Central Region and the wider coastal belt.
“Emergency healthcare remains one of the most critical components of every health system. However, the current situation has gaps and leaves much to be desired,” she stated.
Dr Biritwum-Nyarko noted that in emergency care, every second counted, stressing that the availability of modern infrastructure, trained personnel and appropriate equipment could make the difference between life and death.
She said the Ghana Health Service remained committed to ensuring equitable access to quality healthcare for every citizen but acknowledged that government alone could not meet the growing healthcare needs of the population.
“Government alone cannot meet the growing healthcare needs of our population,” she said, while commending the MTN Ghana Foundation for supporting the health sector through the project.
Dr Biritwum-Nyarko said once completed, the 60-bed, two-storey Accident and Emergency block would significantly enhance the hospital’s capacity to provide prompt, efficient and high-quality emergency services to patients within its catchment area and beyond.
She therefore charged the architects, engineers and contractors on the project to deliver quality work within the stipulated timeline while adhering to the highest standards of safety and professionalism.
The new facility is expected to provide significant relief to the Our Lady of Grace Catholic Hospital, whose existing 20-bed Accident and Emergency Unit has come under increasing pressure due to the rising number of patients.
With male and female wards, a theatre, laboratory, pharmacy, isolation ward, sterilisation room and other supporting facilities, the project is expected to strengthen the hospital’s capacity to provide comprehensive emergency care.
The investment is also expected to benefit residents of Breman Asikuma and surrounding communities, as well as patients referred from other parts of the Central and Eastern regions and beyond.
When completed, the facility is expected to contribute significantly to efforts to address hospital congestion and improve access to timely emergency healthcare, particularly for patients whose conditions require immediate medical attention.
The project forms part of the MTN Ghana Foundation’s broader investment in healthcare infrastructure across Ghana, reinforcing its commitment to supporting improved health outcomes and better lives for communities across the country.
