By Elorm Yao Aryee
The Volta Citizens Union in the Netherlands has presented a cash donation of ₵14,000 to the Management of the Ho Teaching Hospital in the Volta Region in support of a Cardiothoracic Centre project at the facility.
The Union has also pledged to subsequently provide some of the equipment required to furnish the centre.
Management of the Ho Teaching Hospital in June 2021, launched a fundraising exercise dubbed “Save a Heart, save a Life”, to equip its Cardiothoracic Unit to provide standard Cardiovascular treatment at the facility.
The existing Cardiac Unit at the Hospital delivers medical treatment for cardiovascular diseases but lacks the equipment needed to conduct treatment in severe cases such as surgical operations on the heart.
An ultra-modern Cardiothoracic Centre according to Management would cost more than $3 million to be constructed.
The project is envisaged to prevent long-distance travelling to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra for cardio treatments since interventions to cardiovascular conditions are time-bound.
The facility is also meant to serve as a resource centre for students of the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho.
Presenting the cash to the Management, the Chairman of the Volta Citizens Union in the Netherlands, Moore Kuma Mawuley said the gesture was borne out of the zeal of members to contribute to the development of the Volta Region.
“We saw media reports of the launch of the fundraising for the project and we felt the need to contribute to the realisation of the ultra-modern Cardiothoracic centre. The ₵14 thousand which is the equivalent of €2,000 was donated by members of the Volta Citizens Union out of the love for the region and to help alleviate the plight of our people”, Mr. Mawuley said.
He disclosed that the Union has requested for a list of equipment needed to furnish the centre and other medical equipment for the Hospital in general.
“We intend to also appeal to members and health facilities in the Netherlands to acquire other medical equipment when we travel back so we can ship them to augment the old ones at the facility,” Mr. Mawuley hunted.
The Acting Director of Medical Service at the Ho Teaching Hospital, Dr. Lord Mensah who received the donation thanked the Union for the gesture saying it would be of tremendous boost to the fundraising to commence the project. He said that when the project is completed, it would bring relief to patients with heart diseases in the Volta, Oti and Eastern Regions as well as those in neighbouring countries such as Togo, Benin and Nigeria.
Statistics at the Ho Teaching Hospital indicate that more than 2 thousand patients have sought cardiovascular treatment on Out Patient Department (OPD) basis at the Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Unit since it was established about 3 years ago. The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra is currently the only facility in Ghana that is resourced to provide standard cardiovascular treatment to patients.