Addison lauds Amissah-Arthur, others for BoG hospital project
The governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Ernest Addison, has lauded three former governors of the central bank for their instrumental role in ensuring the transition of its health facility from a clinic to a modern hospital.
The three are the late Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, who was the governor from 2009 to 2012, Dr Henry Wampah, 2013 to 2016, and Dr Issahaku Nashiru, 2016 to 2017.
In his speech, during the opening of the central bank’s hospital called The Bank Hospital, Dr Addison commended successive management of the bank for supporting and upgrading the health facility into a hospital.
He used the occasion “to specially acknowledge the then Governor, the late Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, who begun this whole process”.
He also recognised former governors, Dr Wampah and Dr Nashiru, “who successfully steered, implemented, and executed the hospital project to the state in which the new management met.”
The governor equally acknowledged the various Committee members, including people who were no longer serving at the bank, “who worked tirelessly with dedication to accomplish the task.”
Dr Addison explained that the hospital would operate with both in-and out-patient comprehensive facilities.
“I am certain that the transition process will not stop here but will continue and the Bank will provide all the necessary support in this endeavour,” he said.
“The Bank stands ready to work with the new Management in diverse ways possible to achieve this objective,” the governor added.
A brief history of The Bank Hospital
The idea of establishing the clinic was initiated in 1987 to serve the healthcare needs of the staff of the BoG and to enhance productivity at the workplace.
When the clinic was opened in June 1988, it only had a small team consisting of one doctor, one nursing sister, two staff nurses, and a pharmacist who joined later in September 1988.
As the years went by, the client population of the hospital also increased, thereby prompting an expansion.
Through a Needs Assessment in 2012, a design and build contract was signed between the Bank of Ghana and Universal Hospitals Group (UHG) for the construction of a 65-Bed Hospital on the bank’s property at East Cantonments at a cost of about €80 million.
This was done to expand the infrastructural base of the bank clinic to adequately cater for its growing clientele, provide quality healthcare services, and create a congenial environment for effective operations within the facility.
In April 2018, the hospital was handed over to the management of the bank.