Parliament has approved credit and commercial facilities totalling €47 million to finance expansion works at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, UGMC.
The credit facility of €40.6 million is between the government and Bank Hapoalim B.M., while the commercial facility of €6.5 million is also between the government and Bank Hapoalim B.M.
The expansion works will equip the hospital with facilities such as a VIP maternity and private floor, Cardio-vascular and Open heart surgery unit and a neurosurgery unit.
The approval of the facilities on Monday, July 16, 2018, followed the presentation of the report of the Finance Committee of Parliament, which recommended the approval.
Reading the report, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Dr Mark Assibey-Yeboah, said the facilities were to fund the phase two of the UGMC project, which included the provision of strategic income generating services for short, medium and long-term sustainability of the hospital.
He said it was a necessary complement to phase one as it targeted new clinical services and medical services that would give the UGMC a competitive edge over other hospitals in the country as well as the sub-region.
"The credit facilities for phase two are both critical and complementary in mobilising additional resources to address the critical gaps in the operations and sustainability of the UGMC and for the completion of the UGMC project", he said.
Dr Assibey-Yeboah said presently, additional medical facilities and specialised medical departments and services were needed for the attainment of international accreditation standards of a quaternary level hospital, as well as to enhance the sustainability and operational effectiveness of the hospital.
Meanwhile, the Ministries of Information, together with the Interim Management Committee of the University of Ghana Medical Centre have indicated that all is set for the facility to begin operations on July 18, 2018.
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