The Member of Parliament for Gushegu constituency in the northern region who doubles as Deputy Minister for Transport, Hon Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, has cut sod for the construction of an ultramodern Maternity and Surgical Ward at the Gushegu municipal government hospital.
With funding support from the Kofi Abban Foundation, the 40-bed capacity maternity and surgical ward is expected to be completed within six months at a cost of about 3.6 million cedis.
In his remarks, the Gushegu MP thanked the Kofi Abban Foundation for coming to the aid of the people of Gushegu in such a spectacular manner.
“I have heard about civil society support, corporate social responsibility support in the various constituencies across the country and in the northern region but I have never seen anything close to what we’re going to witness here in Gushegu today.”
He explained that, “On the 4th February, 2022, the medical superintendent wrote to me and requested very urgently that we support to get Accident and Emergency Centre for the hospital – it was whilst I was considering this request that I made contacts with my brother and very good friend [Dr Kofi Abban] and the proposal that we had from the hospital was for a very tinny structure they wanted just to be able to deal with the facility, then our benefactor said this is too small, I want to do something bigger for you – I want to build a maternity and surgical block for you and I want to make a storey building so that we can have more rooms in the facility.”
Lawyer Tampuli however commended the management and staff of the Gushegu municipal hospital for their hard-work and dedication to duty, stressing sometimes under very severe conditions.
“It takes only dedication, commitment and hard work and uncommon dedication for you to be able to do what you’re doing for the Chiefs and people of Gushegu.”
The facility upon completion would enable the Gushegu hospital to become a major referral centre for most district in the eastern part of the northern region.
The Gushegu legislator nonetheless assured the hospital management that he is still committed to get the Accidents and Emergency Centre constructed this year.
He announced that about nineteen (19) tricycle ambulances have been secured for deployment in some of the electoral areas to convey patients especially pregnant women from the various CHPS Compounds to the municipal hospital for further medical care.
He stated the Akufo-Addo led New Patriotic Party government has also awarded a number of road projects for construction in the constituency to improve the road network which would also impact on access to healthcare.
The Medical Superintendent of the Gushegu hospital, Dr Bashiru Abdul Majeed, for his part said the construction of the facility is timely and explained a lot of the wards get crowded as a result of the increasing population in the municipality.
“The maternity ward in particular is often filled with patients and overflow to other wards and so this project would help reduce congestion and improve quality healthcare.”
According to Dr Bashiru, the electricity situation in the hospital is another major challenge affecting the facility, adding that the systems installed in the hospital is now obsolete causing frequent breakdown.
“The advice is to change it with the local system so that we can manage but it hasn’t been done yet and every now and then its breaking down; even yesterday whilst I was an operation in the theatre, it went off several times” he lamented.
On behalf of the Founder of Kofi Abban Foundation, Mr. Peter Anuu, said the foundation exist to support the needy and underprivilege in society most especially women and children most importantly in areas of health, sport and youth entrepreneurship.
“…And that is the reason why we organize this collaboration with the MP to offer that support in terms of health and we’re poised to see it to the end” he emphasized.
