2021 Asogli Tennis Tournament dedicated to cardio centre project of Ho Teaching Hospital

The 2021 Edition of the Asogli Tennis Tournament of the Ho Tennis Club has been held as a show of support for the Ho Teaching Hospital’s cardiothoracic centre project.

The event pit the Police Depot, Regional Maritime Academy, the Tema, and the Ho tennis clubs against each other, and the clashes drew several lovers of the sport to the Ho tennis court where it was held in collaboration with the Tennis Foundation Ghana, and the Teaching Hospital’s Cardio Fundraising Project.

The Teaching Hospital, in July 2021, launched a “Save a Heart, Save a Life” campaign to raise 3.2 million dollars to equip the centre and operationalise its units to provide major heart-related surgeries, an initiative that attracted the support of pledges from among others and the Chiefs of the Asogli State.

A fundraiser halfway through the games offered the opportunity for players, fans, and other stakeholders to donate and pledge support towards plans to elevate the centre as the second cardio treatment facility in the country.

A cheque for GHC10,000 was presented to leaders of the fundraising project at the end of a heated tournament won by the Regional Maritime University Tennis Club.

Dr. Eyram Bansah, Chairman of the Ho Tennis Club, said while opening the game, “this is the first time the tournament has been used to support a social course,” and added that the Club would continue to be a partner of the centre.

Amos Dzah, Public Relations Chief of the Teaching Hospital and a member of the Cardio Fundraising Project, said heart-related diseases persisted as the number one cause of death, and that the cardio centre required equipment to become fully functional.

“It will be the second cardio centre in Ghana. A centre is required for two million people and we must support this project to serve the people of Volta, Oti and beyond,” he said.

Mr. Dzah said bad road networks made referrals to the only such centre at Korle-Bu risky and gave substance to the quest to establish one in the Region.

He said the management of the Hospital, therefore, was grateful to the sports club for the commitment, which would “go a long way to support the initiative.”

Present at the event was Togbe Agyeman, a Chief of the Asogli State, who is an ardent member of the Club.

Also present was Roger Crawford, President of the Tennis Foundation Ghana, which had extended its nationwide support activities to the Ho Tennis Club.