Accra, Oct 09, GNA – The Tema General Hospital(TGH) has expressed appreciation to First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, for spearheading the rebuilding of the facility into new state-of-the art complex to cater for its huge catchment area population.
Dr Richard Anthony, Medical Director of the Hospital, paid glowing tribute to Mrs Akufo-Addo for working behind the scenes to ensure that the Hospital complex idea became a reality, following an appeal made to her in 2016.
During a working visit to the Hospital by the First Lady, who also donated medical logistics to the facility, Dr Anthony said staff were feverishly awaiting President Akufo-Addo to cut the sod for the new hospital complex, to be known as the Tema Regional Hospital.
The Hospital, which was constructed in 1954, and handed over to the government in 1962, serves a population of about one million people in Tema and its catchment areas, bordering Akosombo and Ada.
It also serves as the largest referral hospital in Tema.
Dr Anthony thanked the government for making it possible for the hospital and staff to benefit from the several social interventions it put in place to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the people.
“Tema General Hospital is one of the hospitals which receives tremendous support from government and also through the COVID-19 Trust fund…” he stated.
There is also an Ayalolo bus which picks staff to and fro the hospital at a reduced fare. It also picked staff free of charge at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Anthony said.
He again thanked the First Lady for donating the logistics to the hospital.
Mrs Akufo-Addo said the Rebecca Foundation would continue to support such institutions so that they could provide critical services to the people.
She said the Foundation, which was set up in 2017 to support the wellbeing of women and children in the areas of health, education and women’s economic empowerment, had made significant impact in the lives of many Ghanaian women and children, emphasizing that “Our footprints in health has been seen in all 16 regions of Ghana. “
She thanked the donors and partners of the Foundation for making it possible for her “even in this COVID times to continue to support our health sector”.
The First Lady commended the staff of TGH for their sacrifices and commitment and being at the frontline, ensuring that the citizens in and around Tema were safe during the pandemic.
Present at the ceremony were Mr Titus Glover, MP for Tema East Constituency, Mr Yves Nii Noi Hanson, Parliamentary candidate for Tema Central as well as party faithful and sympathizers who thronged the hospital to cheer the first lady on.
GNA