The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has pledged to seek government support for the completion of the Legacy of Hope Paediatric and Childhood Cancer Hospital in Adjen Kotoku, Ga West District, Greater Accra Region. He highlighted that the project requires substantial funding to finish.
Dr. Bawumia noted that as the government is currently building the “Agenda 111” hospitals, the new paediatric and children’s hospital should be integrated into the country’s healthcare plans. He made these remarks during a visit to the project site.
Additionally, Dr. Bawumia committed to personally contributing to the project’s completion and emphasized the importance of increased collaboration between the church and the government in health and education. He also requested to join the project’s fundraising committee to help secure additional funds.
The hospital, initiated by the Catholic Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, will include an outpatient department (OPD), a theatre, a radiology unit, an intensive care unit (ICU), a pharmacy, a medical block, and a maternity and special accommodation unit. The total project cost is estimated at $2.7 million, with the church having already raised GH¢19.4 million. The equipment cost is projected at $3.7 million, bringing the total to $6.4 million.
Dr. Bawumia praised the Catholic Church for its significant contributions to health and education in Ghana and stressed the importance of supporting such initiatives. He mentioned that the government is focused on supporting child healthcare needs through programs like one constituency, one ambulance, Agenda 111; and extending health insurance to cover childhood cancers, sickle cell disease, and kidney dialysis.
He shared a case of a young girl named Priscilla, who needed treatment that was not available locally and had to be sent to Rome. Dr. Bawumia recognized the inadequacy of paediatric facilities in the country and expressed the government’s commitment to addressing these issues.
In response to three major requests from Archbishop Kwofie, Dr. Bawumia assured that he would work to improve the road leading to Adjen Kotoku, benefiting both the hospital and the local community. He supported the Archbishop’s request for tax waivers, emphasizing that churches and faith-based organizations should be considered development partners and thus eligible for tax exemptions on imported equipment and materials for development projects.
Archbishop Kwofie also plans to seek support from corporate entities, noting that the hospital will serve all, transcending religious and cultural boundaries.
