From Ernest Best Anane
Two non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the George and Angelina Owusu Foundation and Stanford World Clinic, have collaborated to provide a medical center at Akyawkrom near Ejisu in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality.
The proposed facility, George and Angelina Owusu Medical Centre, would provide world-class medical services, including an Out-Patients Department (OPD), maternal care, laboratory services, detention services, and pharmacy.
The health facility is expected to be used as a hub for telemedicine to support the health care needs of the people of the country, as well as support the training of medical doctors and other health professional at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
The Asantehene’s representative, Oheneba Adusei-Poku, and a host of other dignitaries jointly cut the sod for the commencement of the project at a colourful ceremony. Oheneba Adusei-Poku commended the NGOs for the kind gesture of providing a quality facility for health care.
He noted that the project will also serve as a source of employment for both the youth and those in the medical profession.
Mr. George Owusu, the brain behind the project, who was involved in the discovery of oil in Ghana, observed that inadequate health care in our part of the world, and the devastation caused by insufficient facilities and a lack of professionals, had inspired him to improve upon the quality of health care in his Motherland.
According to him, the vision of the George and Angelina Owusu Medical Center is to alleviate the sufferings of the people health-wise, because he believes no one should suffer for want of adequate medical facilities.
Mr. Owusu noted that the first phase of the project is a clinic to support the community, as part of the great passion and love for the people, to provide the needed change in the health sector.
Mr. Owusu expressed the hope that with the support of Sanford World Clinic, the collaborators would ensure adequate healthcare for the people.
He revealed that the estimated infant mortality rate for 2014 in Ghana is 45 children per 1,000 births, which, he said, ranks 28th highest in infant mortality in the world.
He further enumerated that at the current rate of 45 per 1,000 births, Ghana’s infant mortality rate is ten times that of Great Britain, and that George and Angelina Owusu Foundation and Sanford World Clinic believe that further improvements depend upon the country’s ability to provide accessible, high quality primary care and the facilities to support that care for the people of Ghana.
He stated that in the 2012, there was less than one doctor per 10,000 people in Ghana against the nearly 30 doctors per 10,000 people in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Benjamin Joe Taylor, a representative of Sanford, commended Nananom and the people of the area for the support to make their dream become a reality since about 80% of our health facilities were in the cities and towns, while about 70% of our total population dwell in the rural areas.
He said in solving the health care problems, their partnership or collaboration to put up such facility was inspired by great purpose and part of their desire to establish 300 hospitals in the country.