After nearly four years of running the Western Region’s only referral hospital without functioning elevators, the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital has had two of its important elevators fixed again at a cost of €182,000. The elevators that serve the maternity, female and male surgical wards as well as the administration block were installed by the government with technical support from CFAO Motors. The hospital had all its three lifts broken down since August 2008. In all these years, patients and hospital staff have had to endure the pain of ascending and descending the five storey building with pregnant women being the most affected. The situation often compounded the ailments of some patients who were referred to the facility. Some pregnant women had to be carried in mats and wheelchairs upstairs for emergency surgeries after paying monies to labourers who took advantage of the situation. At a ceremony to commission the facility, Sekondi-Takoradi Mayor Capt. Rtd Anthony Cudjoe noted that the installation of the elevators will bring great relief to the public, adding that it was an indication of government’s commitment to the health sector. He said plans are far advanced to put up a new Hospital in the metropolis and another modern regional Hospital at Ewusiejo in the Ahanta West District. The administrator of the hospital, Asare-Bediako Micah told Maxx News the broken down elevators which was one of the regional hospital’s numerous problems, gave the facility a bad image. He said the elevators will among other things reduce maternal mortality at the hospital. “It is also going to improve the image of the hospital. We have been in the news for a long time. It is also going to reduce our maternal deaths." According to him, people had lost confidence in the facility because there was the fear of pregnant women losing their lives and paying monies to be carried around. He is optimistic this trend will change with the installation of the elevators.