MTN Ghana has embarked on an ambitious project to refurbish 300 hospital beds at the Ho Teaching Hospital as part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery and help address the country's persistent no-bed syndrome.

The intervention forms part of MTN's annual 21 Days of Yellow Care initiative, a staff volunteer programme that dedicates 21 days in June to community service projects in areas where the telecommunications company operates.

This year's programme focuses on healthcare, hygiene education and community health screening.

Speaking during the refurbishment exercise at the Ho Teaching Hospital, the Volta, Eastern and Oti Regional Manager for Retail Experience at MTN, Mr Mawunya Agogo, said the project was aimed at restoring damaged hospital beds to ensure that more patients have access to comfortable and safe accommodation during treatment.

He explained that MTN staff were volunteering their time alongside artisans and technical experts to repair faulty beds that had become unusable due to broken wheels, damaged metal parts and general wear and tear.

According to Mr Agogo, the initiative seeks to augment the number of functional beds available at the hospital and contribute to improved patient care.

"19 years ago, MTN came up with a staff voluntary programme dubbed 21 Days of Yellow Care where we set aside 21 days in the month of June to do voluntary work in the communities where we operate our businesses," he said.

He noted that one of the flagship activities under this year's programme is the "No Bed Syndrome" project, which focuses on refurbishing hospital beds in major healthcare facilities.

"We want to address the no-bed syndrome by making sure that the beds that are not in good shape are refurbished to augment the existing ones in the hospital so that every patient that visits the hospital will have a bed to sleep on," he stated.

Mr Agogo disclosed that more than 200 beds had already been refurbished and work was progressing steadily towards the target of 300 beds.

"Currently, as we are speaking now, we have done a little over 200. We are expecting that by the end of the period, we will refurbish 300 beds and then that way patients who visit the hospital will have beds to sleep on," he said.

The MTN official described the exercise as part of the company's commitment to creating and sharing value with communities and stakeholders.

He said the intervention goes beyond corporate social responsibility and reflects MTN's desire to contribute meaningfully to the well-being of the communities it serves.

Apart from the refurbishment project, MTN will also undertake community health screening activities at Taviefe and organise hygiene and handwashing education programmes for residents of Fiave in the Ho Municipality.

Mr Agogo urged the public to take their health seriously and observe proper hygiene practices to prevent diseases.

"My final message is that we should take our health very seriously. We should make sure that we practise basic hygiene protocols and make sure that our hygiene is paramount to us," he said.

Head of Public Relations, at the Ho Teaching Hospital, Mr Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi, praised MTN for the intervention and described it as a significant contribution to healthcare delivery at the facility.

He explained that adjustable hospital beds play a critical role in patient treatment, particularly at the Accident and Emergency Unit where the positioning of patients can directly influence recovery outcomes.

"We would like to thank MTN for the intervention. We appreciate it so much because we at the Ho Teaching Hospital believe that in the Accidents and Emergency Unit, positions of beds matter a lot," he said.

According to Mr Kanyi, healthcare professionals often need to adjust beds to improve blood circulation to the heart and brain or reduce swelling in patients' limbs.

He noted that having more functional adjustable beds would not only improve patient care but also ease the workload of healthcare workers.

"Apart from the clients, doctors and nurses do a lot of lifting and bending, so if we have enough adjustable beds it will reduce the stress that doctors and nurses go through in those activities," he explained.

Mr Kanyi revealed that the hospital had adopted a policy requiring all beds to be adjustable and fitted with bed rails to enhance patient safety and improve healthcare delivery.

He added that the hospital was also pursuing a circular economy approach by refurbishing old furniture and equipment instead of discarding them.

According to him, old chairs, swivel chairs and other furniture items are being repaired and reused as part of efforts to reduce waste and promote environmental sustainability.

"The policy now is to promote the circular economy and green transition. So we are not only refurbishing our old beds but also seats, old chairs, swivel chairs and all those other things to reduce the waste," he said.

He expressed optimism that the partnership with MTN would help improve patient comfort, support healthcare workers and contribute to the hospital's broader goal of providing quality healthcare services.

The refurbishment project is expected to significantly increase the number of functional beds available at the Ho Teaching Hospital, ensuring that more patients receive treatment in a safe and comfortable environment while supporting the facility's commitment to quality healthcare delivery.