The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has officially commenced works as part of the second phase to expand and scale up operations of the referral facility.

Speaking to Joy News’ Henry Badu after the induction ceremony of newly employed staff on Thursday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UGMC, Dr Darius Osei said, the project will equip the hospital with facilities to improve its operations.

“Phase two is coming up with pediatric surgery, renal medicine, and others. And it only a specialist that can render this kind of service. So if the place is not ready and you do not have these kinds of services then you do not please the public,” Dr Osei stated.

The CEO added that “anybody who comes in here will expect that he or she has the required treatment for which he or she has been referred here.”

The Finance Minister in November 2018, revealed Parliament approved a 47 million Euro loan to undertake the project during the presentation of the budget statement.

He noted that although the medical center's main objective is to diagnose and treat patients referred to the center other supporting services are equally necessary to deliver quality healthcare.  

“The hospital environment is not just diagnosis and treatment, although it is the most important part. But the hospital must have hotel services, the catering must work, the laundry as well, the security, the plumbing, so we are looking at multi-disciplinary staffing. And all these support are also vital,” he expressed.

The CEO emphasised that “even though the public wish for us to be in full operation, let us take our time and make sure that we do not mess up people’s lives because the job we do has to do with life and death.”

In July 2018, government officially opened the Out-Patient Department (OPD) and Administration Unit of the 650-bed facility.

The Center is to attend to referral cases limited to three main departments, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, ENT with Laboratory and Pharmacy services.