A new surgical theatre has been inaugurated at the Madina Polyclinic (Kekeli Hospital) in the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality to improve access to surgical and obstetric care for residents of Madina and surrounding communities.

As part of the renewed effort to improve care, Freedom Aid Ghana has also introduced a Dalai Hama food product stand at the facility.

The stand contains iron-rich food products made from turkey berries to support patients requiring nutritional supplementation, particularly pregnant women with anaemia.

Freedom Aid Ghana, the Australian High Commission, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, Dr Francis Xavier Sosu, and other development partners collaborated to deliver the new hospital facility, which has been without an operating theatre since it was established more than five decades ago.

Contribution

Speaking at the inauguration, the Executive Director of Freedom Aid Ghana, Bright Atawiah Kwami Adoboe, said the surgical theatre formed part of the organisation’s ongoing efforts to support vulnerable and underserved communities through health-focused interventions.

He explained that three of the projects had been funded by the Australian government through the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Programme, which focused on improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Mr Adoboe said the surgical theatre would improve access to surgical services for residents of Madina and surrounding communities who previously had to travel to other health facilities after referral.

Calls for increased health infrastructure

The MP for Madina called for increased investment in health infrastructure in the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality to meet the growing healthcare needs of the population.

Dr Sosu said the population of Madina had grown significantly in recent years as more people continued to move into the area, placing considerable pressure on existing social infrastructure, including health facilities, schools, and roads.

He explained that the growing demand for healthcare services required deliberate investment by government and development partners to expand facilities and improve access to quality care.

Australian High Commission

For her part, the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Bernice Owen-Jones, said the High Commission supported the project through its Direct Aid Programme (DAP), which focused on improving health outcomes for vulnerable communities.

She explained that the DAP was dedicated to funding community-based projects that addressed critical development challenges, including access to healthcare services.