Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has officially opened a new maternity and children’s ward at the Nkoranza Health Centre in the Bono East Region.
The facility, built by the Lordina Foundation, is intended to improve maternal and neonatal healthcare services in the area.
During the inauguration ceremony, Mahama praised his wife, Lordina Mahama, for her dedication to advancing the well-being of women and children through the Lordina Foundation, which has been active for over two decades.
The Foundation focuses on supporting vulnerable groups in healthcare, education, and women’s empowerment.
The new maternity and children’s ward includes 33 beds, 10 baby cots, a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with three incubators, and a theatre with two surgical beds.
Additionally, it is equipped with consulting rooms, examination areas, delivery rooms, and vital medical equipment, such as ultrasound machines, patient monitors, and autoclaves.
A standby generator ensures continuous power, and the facility includes a basement for offices and storage.
“This new ward is a major step towards upgrading the Nkoranza Health Centre into a full hospital,” Mahama remarked.
“With these facilities, the Centre will be able to conduct basic surgeries and provide essential care for neonates and children, reducing the need for patient referrals to other hospitals.”
Established in 1954, the Nkoranza Health Centre had not undergone any significant infrastructural improvements until this project.
Mahama emphasized the increasing demand for healthcare services, noting that the Centre recorded 24,005 outpatient visits in 2023 and had already reached 14,291 visits by mid-2024.
Mahama also addressed the economic difficulties facing Ghanaians, promising that, if elected, his next NDC government would implement a Free Primary Healthcare initiative.
This initiative would allow Ghanaians to receive healthcare services at CHPS compounds, health centres, and polyclinics at no cost.
He also highlighted plans for the Ghana Medical Care Trust—MahamaCares—which aims to provide support for chronic conditions such as kidney disease, cancers, and heart disease.
Additionally, he reiterated his running mate Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang’s commitment to providing free sanitary pads to schoolgirls.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by local chiefs, healthcare professionals, and Nkoranza residents, who expressed their gratitude for the new facility. Mahama extended his thanks to the donors and supporters of the Lordina Foundation for making the project possible.
He called on the government, healthcare professionals, and the community to collaborate in ensuring the Centre operates at its full potential and serves not only Nkoranza but the entire region.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
