The handover ceremony was held for the China-aided project of Ghana General Hospital on December 21, 2010 in a jubilant, triumphant and warm manner. Numerous senior officials from both sides, including Gong Jianzhong, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Hu Yujie, counsellor of the Chinese embassy, John Dramani Mahama, Vice President of Ghana, Benjamin Kunbuor, Health Minister, Nii Nortey Dua, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Armah Ashiety, governor of Greater Accra Province, and heads and staffs from a number of local administrative departments attended the ceremony. Some 800 people from Teshie district of Accra city gathered in the square in front of the building to celebrate the official completion and handover of the China-built Ghana General Hospital.
Ambassador Gong delivered a warm speech on the handover ceremony who said health care was an important pillar for national economic and social development. In order to support the Ghananian government in providing high quality health service to the people, the Chinese government provided non-reimbursable assistance to building the general hospital with 100 beds. China and Ghana are close friends and reliable partners with increasingly deepening friendship. The two countries’ cooperation in the field of health care will be further strengthened. The Chinese government has donated anti-malarial drugs to Ghana and provided professional training to about 30 Ghananian medical personnel in China each year since 2006. A Chinese medical team of 11 members are currently providing medical service in Ghana. Gong hoped that the Hospital would become a symbol of friendship between China and Ghana like the National Grand Theater, Bui Dam and other projects.
Vice President Mahama said in his speech that Teshie district of Accra city had not seen proper medical facilities in for a long time. The construction of the Hospital started at this location one year ago when Ghana decided to accept the free aid from the Chinese government. The contractor of the project, China Geo-Engineering Corporation, has conscientiously fulfilled the obligations stipulated in the contract and efficiently completed the construction in the past year to have made the inauguration of the General Hospital finallypossible today. That means more than one million patients nationwide including the Teshie district could come for treatment at the hospital and he believed the local people would receive better medical care. He thanked the Chinese government for providing aid to build the Hospital for the people of Ghana and hoped the Hospital management would make it a role-model in Ghana in the future.
Ghananian Health Minister Kunbuor also spoke at the ceremony, saying he was pleased to attend the inauguration of a multi-functional general hospital today. He accompanied President Mills to witness the groundbreaking ceremony one year ago as Deputy Minister of Health and again came to witness the inauguration of the hospital as Health Minister. With 100 beds, this general hospital boasts a traditional Chinese medicine section and anti-malaria center, being a model of combining traditional and modern medicines. Being a mature practice, the traditional Chinese medicine is best suited for experience sharing in Ghana on fighting against raging malaria. He advised that the hospital management should work in the quickest manner to ensure the efficiency of health care and reasonable use of medical resources.
Ghanaian cultural programs such as dances and dramas were performed on the handover ceremony in an animated atmosphere that won rounds after rounds of cheers and applauses from the joyous audience.
