The existing operational maternity block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) will undergo expansion as an interim measure to reduce infant and maternal deaths at the facility.

The proposed 109-bed project with two theaters and a hostel for mothers is spearheaded by the Multimedia Group Ltd, Architectural Engineering Services, and KATH.

Following Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng’s revelation in a special report that an average of four babies die each day at the Kumasi-based health facility, the government promised to complete the hospital’s abandoned maternity block project.

However, as no timeline has been given for the completion of the project, Multimedia Group and its partners believe expanding the existing facility will be a good first step.

Officials of the three partner organisation reached an agreement at a meeting to work on two wings of the existing maternity block to be completed between six and 12 months.

An Architect with Architectural Engineering Services, Kwame Opoku, who gave details of the proposed project says more space would be created to ease congestion.

“We are putting additional floors on top of the short ones and connecting it to existing ones to create more space. Two theaters and the theaters come with their own rest rooms for the doctors and the nurses. It will come with recovery ward and a mothers’ hostel that takes about 20-beds for these mothers,” Mr. Opoku explained.

The total cost of the project is estimated at 8. 1 million Ghana cedis but the two wings will require 4.7 million cedis to complete.

Despite the difficulties in raising funds, the Multimedia Group is prepared to lead a fundraising campaign for the interim project.

General Manager at the Kumasi Business Unit, James Aglah, says the company is prepared to push through the project.

“In order to ease the congestion at the MBU [Mother and Baby Unit], we at the Multimedia Group have decided to work together with the hospital to come out with a temporal solution. 

"And so what we did today is to agree on an extension of some wings of an existing block in the MBU area should be completed as a stop-gap measure.”

Meanwhile, Director of Administration at KATH, George Tetteh, lauded the initiative.

“When this is completed, we will have enough space and the congestion which we are experiencing now at the old block will be a thing of the past. 

"So we hope that the stand that Multimedia has taken to solicit for help and then canvass or campaign for funds so that this thing is seen to its fullest completion is going to ease the congestion that we are experiencing now,” Mr. Tetteh emphasised.