The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will commission the country’s first-ever Infectious Disease facility, sponsored and promoted by the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund in Accra, Friday.

The estimated $5 million project, located at the Ga East Municipal Hospital was commenced in April this year after a sod-cutting ceremony graced by President Akufo-Addo.

When opened, the 100-bed capacity facility will be used to treat critically ill Covid-19 patients during the pandemic and subsequently used as a centre for the treatment and research into some of the most infectious diseases prevalent in Ghana after the coronavirus pandemic.

Initially set to be completed in May, the facility, funded with support from corporate organisations and donors was completed last week.

The delay according to management was due to some additional features added to the architectural plan in response to requests made by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and other infectious disease clinicians and biomedical scientists.

Touching on the Fund’s success story, one of its Trustees and the CEO for Fidelity Bank, Edward Effah said he was overwhelmed with the dedication and achievement by the group.

“Initially we were thinking of a temporal hospital to aid in the Covid-19 fight but I think we were very lucky to have with us Justice Yankson who is the General Secretary of the GMA.

“Justice was very emphatic that Ghana needed a permanent infectious disease treatment centre and initially it seemed like an outrageous idea because we all thought we were just going to put some tent together and increase the bed capacities.

“But we came to the conclusion to build something permanent and I am overwhelmed with the response we got from people, the Ghana Institute of Surveyors, Ghana Institute of Architects, Ghana Institute of Engineers and others.

“It is unbelievable to see Ghanaian professionals work together for mother Ghana pro bono; that is for free. Within a week, they had designed and put together all the drawings for the hospital,” Mr. Edward Effah said. 

The Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund is an initiative by private business people who set it up with a seed fund of ¢1 million while campaigning to raise at least ¢100 million from local and international businesses as well as the general public to aid the fight against Covid-19 in Ghana.

These funds, management say is to help put up similar projects in at least three other regions of the country to deal not only with Covid-19 but also help the nation to tackle future infectious disease epidemics.

The nominated Trustees of the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund are:
1. Anthony Oteng-Gyasi (Chairman, Tropical Cable & Conductor Ltd)
2. Edward Effah (Chairman, Fidelity Bank Ghana Ltd)
3. Kwaku Bediako (Director, CH Group)
4. John Taylor (CEO, Woodfield Energy Resources Ltd)
5. Omane Frimpong (Chairman, Wilkins Engineering Ltd)
6. Kwame Ofosu Bamfo (Managing Director, Bamson Group)
7. Kwabena Adjei (Group Chairman, Kasapreko)
8. Thomas Svanikier (Chairman, Svani Group Ltd)
9. Kwasi Twum (CEO, The Multimedia Group)
10. Senyo Kwasi Hosi (CEO, Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors)
11. Julie Essiam (Commissioner, Ghana Revenue Authority)