Malaria Research Hospital for Teshie

THE government has signed a $7.28 million contract with the government of the People’s Republic of China for the construction of a 100-bed hospital with a malaria research centre at Teshie, a suburb of Accra.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Minister for Health, Major Courage Quashigah (retd), acknowledged the enormous importance of traditional herbal medicine and advocated its incorporation in the delivery of health service in Ghana.
He said Ghanaians had for far too long underestimated the importance of traditional herbal medicine, saying the time had come for it to be merged with orthodox medicine in the delivery of health care in the country.
“We may as well start incorporating them before it is too late and we need to move a bit faster,” he said, and commended the Chinese government for sponsoring Ghanaian health professionals to undertake courses in China.
“We really appreciate this gesture,” he added, and recalled that during one of his visits to China, it was estimated that about 80 per cent of the rural population there still relied on traditional herbal medicine, which was closely attached to orthodox medicine, with one easily being referred to herbal treatment when orthodox treatment was ineffective.
The Head of the Capital Investment Management Unit of the Ministry of Health (MoH), Mr Jackson G.K. Abankwa, said the contract with the China Geo-Engineering Corporation of China was upon the request of the government of Ghana in furtherance of the implementation of the Beijing Summit.
“The People’s Republic of China is providing financial support for the design and construction of the project, site clearance and levelling, construction equipment and materials, technical professionals for the construction and installation of medical equipment and associated infrastructure,” he added.
Mr Abankwa disclosed that the government of Ghana, on the other hand, would bear the responsibility of providing the land for the construction, demolition of existing structures and provide utilities like water, electricity and telecommunication to the site.
“Ghana shall also exempt duty on imported equipment and materials for the project and goods required by the Chinese technical team working on the project,” he noted, and described the contract as another milestone in co-operation between the two countries.
The Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Hu Yujie, said the agreement was in furtherance of a promise made by the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, to Africa.
He said a medical team from China would come to Ghana from time to time to assist in the delivery of services at the hospital which would provide both Ghanaian and Chinese traditional herbal medicine.
He noted that three schools being constructed by the Chinese government in some parts of the country as gifts for Ghanaian children were yet to be completed and expressed the belief that the hospital would be of importance to all Ghanaians.