The Minister for Health, Mr. Kwaku Agyeman Manu, has inspected ongoing work on the new maternity block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
He said the first phase of the 507-bed capacity maternity and children’s block project, which was started in February 2021, following the demolition of a 45-year-old building over structural integrity issues, is scheduled for completion in May 2024.
The Minister explained that the decision of the government to construct a new maternity and children’s ward followed several technical, architectural and structural tests on the old building which suggested its structural integrity could not be guaranteed.
“The original idea was to rehabilitate that building, but we found out that structurally it was not worth completing it. We would have given ourselves a death trap. So, the idea came that let’s use the same quantum of money to do a new thing,” he emphasised.
He further noted that the 5-storey building would be equipped with modern theatres, pediatric neurology, haematology, cardio and respiratory wards to provide one-stop modern care for mothers and children.
It would also contain a paediatrics infectious disease unit, mother and baby unit, and pediatric renal unit.
