AngloGold hands over maternity block to Obuasi Govt Hospital
AngloGold Ashanti (AGA), Obuasi Mine, has inaugurated a maternity block for the Obuasi Government Hospital to improve maternal and neonatal care in the municipality.
The 16-bed capacity facility comprises a fully equipped operating theatre with a recovery ward and anesthesia room, a room for spontaneous vaginal deliveries (SVDs) usually called normal deliveries, examination room and a sluice room, all with the relevant equipment.
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The facility also has a neo-natal intensive care unit, two post-natal wards with eight-baby capacity each, doctors and nurses offices, washrooms, incubators, patients’ monitoring and reception area.
The project was funded from the AGA Obuasi Community Trust Fund (OCTF) at GH¢1.1 million.
Meaningful investments
The Senior Sustainability Manager of AGA, Mr Emmanuel Baidoo, said the fund existed to make investments in ways that contributed meaningfully to community development and were aligned with the priorities of communities and the local government.
He said the project was initiated after several engagements with the municipal health directorate, the management of the hospital, and confirmation from the municipal assembly as well as other stakeholders on the challenges related to maternal healthcare within the operational areas.
Mr Baidoo expressed the hope that the project would improve access to maternal healthcare in adjoining districts within the operational areas, and also improve the level of monitoring by clinicians of newborn babies and offer safe delivery.
“We will do all we can to help speed up developmental projects in Obuasi, and also help strengthen women delivery services," he added.
Mr Baidoo appealed to chiefs to support the mine in order to speed up all projects the AGA had started.
Community development
The Obuasi Municipal Health Director, Ms Yaa Manu, applauded AGA for completing the project which began in 2019.
She said AGA had been very instrumental in developing the community, with the health sector obtaining a fair share.
“This has been a reality due to the strong organisational relationship between the mine and its communities, and it has started with the health sector because it is a basic necessity,” she said.
Dr Manu urged authorities of the Obuasi Government Hospital to effectively manage the facility to ensure that it lasted and served the people better.
The Adansihene, Opagya Kotwere Bonsra Afriyie II, congratulated AGA and the managers of the OCTF for the gesture and the desire to develop Obuasi.
He challenged the assembly to also do same and utilise the royalties they received to develop the communities.