The Ensign College of Public Health formally handed over the site for the Institute for Community Health and Development (ICHD) building to the architecture firm, Haknay Consult, and contractor, Rema Alma, in a land handover ceremony.

The ICHD building is a three-storey facility that will serve as an entrepreneurial hub and physical location to lead the advancement of community health and economic development through culturally relevant and appropriate, innovative, cost-effective, research-driven programs founded on the philosophy of community engagement. 

The building will include offices, training rooms, research laboratories, and a large auditorium for training and conferences.

The institute building will house programs such as Health 2 Go, a community-based primary health care training program for community health workers and various summer learning institutes.

The anticipated construction completion is August 2022.  

The building project is co-sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA), in partnership with the University of Utah and Unitus Labs.

Professor and President Stephen Alder said, “The Institute for Health and Development represents the next major step in the development of our Ensign Global Campus. 

"We are pleased to be partnering with USAID, UNITUS, the Sharp Family Foundation and others to create a unique space that will house projects and programs aimed at promoting prosperity in Ghana, the ECOWAS region, and throughout the world. 

"We are fortunate to once again be working with the design and construction team that built the first phase of the campus. The Institute for Health and Development building will be a remarkable addition.”

The Medical Director from the Volta River Authority (VRA) Health Services Limited, Dr Alexander Omari-Yeboa and Project Manager Assistant (USAID - Ghana) Daralis Wemegah were in attendance for the ceremony.

The Head of Academic Programs of the Ensign College of Public Health and the Principal Investigator of Health 2 Go, Dr Stephen Manortey, gave an overview of the purpose of the ICHD building and expressed gratitude to the donors of the project.

Dr Manortey said, “the College was committed to helping bring researchers and other activities to campus that will enhance the well-being of families and communities within the sub-region.”

Stephen Kwasi Amakye, campus project manager and head of operations for the Ensign College of Public Health, congratulated Rema Alma for being awarded this prestigious contract as he handed over the working drawings and the ICHD project site to the contractor.