Akyawkrom in the Ejisu-Juabeng Municipality of the Ashanti Region is to benefit from a 10-million- dollar private medical training institution.

Work has already begun on the George and Angelina Owusu Medical Centre which will also promote tele-medicine to enhance healthcare for residents of communities in the area.

The facility is being spearheaded by a member of EO Group who played a lead role in Ghana’s oil discovery, George Owusu, and his wife, Angelina.

The couple, through George and Angelina Owusu Foundation is contributing an initial two million dollars of the estimated 10 million- dollar facility, with support from U.S. based healthcare provider, Samford World Clinics.

The first phase of the project, a 2-storey clinic structure to sit on 8,620 square feet land will cater for general Out Patient Department, minor surgical procedures and diagnostic testing services among others, is expected to be completed next year.

This will be followed by housing units for medical staff, 36 wards and offices, surgery suites, among others in a 3-storey building house.

Mr. Owusu, himself a native of Akyawkrom, says his utmost objective is to bring quality healthcare delivery to the doorstep of people in the peri-urban area.

“Our broader vision is to grow this facility into a first class non-profit medical center which may be used as a hub for tele-medicine to support the healthcare needs and care of the people of the country”.

He told the gathering at a sod-cutting ceremony, the training of doctors will be done in collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

“It is our hope this facility will grow to support the training of medical doctors and other health professionals at KNUST in Kumasi,” Mr. Owusu noted.

He is confident with the support of the people of Akwawkrom, government and partners, the vision of establishing the hospital would be a reality.

Samford World Clinics has already established itself as the largest not for profit rural healthcare system in America.

It announced to develop a 10-clinic network in Ghana to provide primary care for children and families in 2011.

It already has facilities in Cape Coast, Adenta, Mankessim and Kojokrom.

 Officials say in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Health, 300 more facilities are in line for construction.

Country President, Kojo Taylor revealed people are dying in many rural and peri-urban areas in Ghana due to lack of access to medical care.

According to him though over 80 per cent of health facilities are located in urban centers, majority of the population live in rural areas, with private sector providing services to over 50 per cent of health needs of the people.

"It is indeed encouraging to see the vibrancy and positive contribution the private sector is making to the healthcare system to complement what the public healthcare sector is doing,” Mr. Tailor said.