The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital says it has recorded maternal and infant mortality decline since the MTN Ghana Foundation handed over a blood bank to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit in 2021.

Speaking to a delegation from MTN who visited the facility recently to assess its impact, the acting Chief Executive Officer of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Dr Stephen Laryeh, said, “We are grateful to the Foundation for coming to our aid with this blood bank.

“Since the provision of the facility in 2021, maternal mortality, resulting from blood issues has reduced by about 20%. Haemorrhage which was the highest cause of maternal mortality has reduced”.

On his part, the Senior Manager for South West Business District of MTN Ghana, Prince Owusu-Nyarko, said, “We are happy the facility is helping improve health care delivery at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.

“The establishment of this facility for the hospital and the people of Cape Coast is proof of the Foundation’s commitment to brighten lives and to mobilise blood to save lives”.

He encouraged the hospital authority to continue to take good care of the facility for posterity.

The facility has a reception area, an office for staff, a donor lounge, a bleeding room, a laboratory and a fridge. In addition, it has a storeroom, a washroom, and locally fabricated donation couches.

The project was constructed at ¢300,000 and handed over to the hospital’s management in June 2021.

Over the years, the MTN Ghana Foundation has remained committed to mobilizing blood to restock National Blood Services and blood banks in major hospitals across the country through its ‘Save a Life’ blood donation exercise.

To date, over 20,000 units of blood have been collected since the inception of the initiative in 2011.

The blood donation exercise has been put temporarily on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic and is yet to resume.

In recognition of its efforts, the MTN Ghana Foundation was adjudged the highest Corporate blood donor in 2013, the second-highest corporate donor in 2014 and one of the highest corporate donors in 2015 by the National Blood Services.

The MTN Ghana Foundation has initiated and completed over 53 health projects since its inception.