The United States Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, has joined the management of HopeXchange Medical Centre to break the ground for the construction of a new state-of-the-art Maternal and Child Health Centre to improve mother and child health care in Kumasi and beyond.
The HopeXchange Medical Centre, which serves approximately four million people, is a unique collaborative effort between the United States Government, the Ministry of Health, Christian Health Association of Ghana, Ghana Health Service, Government and people of Malta, Catholic Churches of Ghana and Italy, Yele University, HopeXchange Foundation and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
The United States government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has invested $3.5 million in the HopeXchange Medical Centre, Ghana.
H.E. Virginia Palmer disclosed that the United States invests over $12 million to improve the health and lives of mothers, babies and children across the country to ensure healthier mothers and newborns.
She disclosed that the United States launched a Women’s Cancer Center at HopeXchange Ghana in 2019 that served as a regional hub for medical training, research and patient care to address public health priorities in sub-Saharan Africa.
She noted that the new Maternal and Child Centre would comprise a Labour and Delivery Suite, Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Units, Inpatient and Outpatient wards, and an Adolescent Clinic.
Virginia Palmer reiterated that the United States was Ghana’s largest bilateral development partner, and said their bilateral assistance totaled over $150 million dedicated to supporting health, economic growth and agriculture, education, governance and security in 2023.
She also revealed that, since its inception in 1947, the USAID/ASHA initiative had supported 300 institutions globally, spanning 28 US Congress and 19 US Presidential administrations.
Mr. Dominic Osei Kofi, General Manager of HopeXchange Medical Centre, disclosed that the 3-storey building would cost over US$1.2 million to be constructed by Nickseth Construction Limited, and would be completed within 18 months.
He said the facility would take care of all mother and child cases, with accommodation for those whose children would be admitted at the facility.
He expressed his profound gratitude to all who had been supportive of the facility, especially the U.S government.
Mario Capello, President and Chief Executive Officer of HopeXchange Medical Centre, also stated that the facility was now a center of excellence. as it had its first surgery in June 2016, paving the way for the pediatric center to reduce the maternal mortality rate in the country.
According to him, when the facility is completed, it would elevate service rendering with work ethics, commitment of staff and those collaborating with the HopeXchange Medical Centre, irrespective of cultural ethnic and religious backgrounds, and putting the dignity of patients first.
Dr. Rita Larsen-Reindorf, Representative of the Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Health Services, expressed her excitement over the project which had come as a result of the strong partnership between the Ghana Health Services and Christians Health Association that played an important role in the health needs of the people in the region and beyond.
He noted that the maternal and newborns mortality which was on the increase, including still births, the facility could help reduce.
