Telecommunication giant, MTN Ghana has handed over a fully furnished ultramodern Blood Bank facility to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital in the Central Region.

The corporate social investment worth ¢300,000.00 was initiated last year as part of a strategic intervention to support health delivery in Ghana.

The facility comes with a reception area, an office for staff, donor Lounge, Bleeding room, Laboratory, Fridge room, Store room, washroom, and locally fabricated donation couches.

Chief Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Samuel Korankye noted at the commissioning of the blood bank today that the investment symbolises the company’s unwavered commitment towards improving the lives of Ghanaians.

He stressed that the annual blood donation exercise; MTN Ghana Valentine Day’s “Save a Life” initiative, is given a boost with this investment and thus offers “a unique opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for our blood donation exercises over the years.”

On behalf of MTN Ghana, Mr. Korankye commended the National Blood Service and partner hospitals for having supported the company’s blood donation exercise over the past years.

He emphasized that the company finds it rewarding to give back to communities through such interventions, adding that funding for over $15 million worth of projects across Ghana wouldn’t have been possible without the patronage of their services by Ghanaians.

These include the provision of 40–Bed Maternity Block for the Tema General Hospital, maternity ward for Elisa Government Hospital and the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for the Tamale Teaching Hospital just to mention a few.”

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Korankye charged the hospital to be responsive to a culture of maintenance such that “should we [MTN Ghana] pay a visit after 5 years, we will find it as fresh as it is today.”

“We are hopeful that the facility will put to good use for the benefit of all persons. We look forward to the Hospital using this facility to its optimal level and maintaining it to serve generations to come.”

Improving Maternal Health

Chief Executive for the Cape coast Teaching Hospital, Dr. Eric Kofi Ngyedu was very much appreciative of MTN’s support. He indicated that the facility would compliment and enhance maternal health services, most especially curbing or possibly ending post-partum hemorrhage which had taken lives at the hospital.

He elaborated that the data available to the management on the maternal death is worrying though with marginal improvement recorded over the past year.

He indicated that the hospital recorded 26 maternal deaths in 2020 as compared to 28 reported in the previous year, with a corresponding ratio of 903/100,000 live births, and 925/100,00 respectively.

“It was in this light that the Hospital Board in 2019, tasked management to implement recommendations made by the Technical and Planning Committee to renovate and revamp the hospital’s blood bank to improve the availability of blood and blood related products. Management sought for support from MTN Foundation, that request gave birth to this beautiful edifice we are commissioning today," Dr. Ngyedu clarified.

He also added that management had instituted some training for staff to better manage health complications such as hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) “for quality maternal health outcomes”.