Freddie Blay gives ambulance to Eikwe St. Martin de Porres hospital

The National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay popularly known as Ellembelle Mugabe, has donated a brand-new ambulance to the Eikwe Saint Martin de Porres hospital in Ellembelle District of Western Region for emergency relief services.

The fully equipped ambulance is with one carrier bed, two accident carrier chairs, one electronic carrier chair, oxygen cylinders, and other consumables, to provide specialized services.

The Ambulance will help transport referred cases especially pregnant women, children and the aged with some level of comfort and also on time to referral facilities to avoid needless loss of lives.

The NPP National Chairman who was once a Member of Parliament for the area, made the donation during the climax of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of the hospital at Eikwe Community football pitch.

The sixty years anniversary celebration was under the theme, "Sixty Years of Catholic Healthcare Delivery, Sustaining Gains, Introduction, Innovations Towards Effective Healthcare Delivery",

Saint Martin de Porres hospital at Eikwe was established in 1959. It was formerly called Eikwe Catholic Hospital.

The hospital currently serves a wide catchment area with an average Out Patient Attendance and Admissions of about 100,000 and 13,000 respectively.

The hospital is a member of the National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) and Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG).

Handing over the keys to management of the hospital, Freddie Blay said the hospital has saved a lot of lives within the Ellembelle District and outside.

He therefore commended the Catholic Secretariat for establishment of the hospital in the area to save so many lives.

"This hospital has served the community very well and I will like to thank the Catholic Secretariat and here the health services and I am even amused to hear that apparently they have forty (40) health facilities (hospitals) over the country", he said.

He added that "This hospital has saved my life when I was a child".

Freddie Blay pledged on behalf of the First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo who was the special guest of honour but couldn't come, that the NPP Government was going to support the Catholic Secretariat especially the Eikwe Saint Martin de Porres hospital to grow from strength to strength.

He disclosed that within a period of three months the First Lady would address some of the challenges enumerated by management of the hospital.

"Challenges that they have enumerated, the facilities that they need, they (Mrs. Akufo-Addo and her husband) have agreed in principle with plans assist to ensure that all these things are met and when I say all these things are met, within a period of three months, you will see action to lift up this hospital", he promised.

There is a plan for the construction of a District Hospital for Ellembelle but, Freddie Blay said the plan was laudable but suggested that if possible, the funds to be used for District Hospital should be used for upgrading of the hospital to serve the whole District.

He said if the Chiefs and the District Assembly agree with him, he would support the upgrading within the shortest possible time.

He, therefore seized the opportunity to hail management for the celebration and pledged to support the hospital to become the best in Western Region.

On his part, the Member of Parliament for the area, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah challenged key politicians including himself in the area to support the hospital to become the best hospital in the area and Western Region as a whole.

As part of his effort towards the improvement of the hospital, the NDC MP donated GHC5,000 to management of the hospital.

He disclosed that during the NDC era as the Petroleum Minister, he lobbied for construction of antenatal block by ENI.

He said the hospital has saved a lot of lives including him in the area and its environs.

The Senior Medical Doctor of the hospital, Dr Cooper thanked Freddie Blay for the kind gesture and assured that authorities would provide maintenance of the ambulance to achieve its intended purposes.

He said the ambulance has come at the right time and will help in referred cases.

He used the occasion to appeal to some benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the hospital to provide a brand-new X-RAY machine to replace the deteriorated one.

The colourful ceremony was climaxed by a fundraiser to support the hospital.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Hon. Kwasi Bonzoh on behalf of the Assembly donated GHC6,000 to the hospital.

The Eastern Nzema Traditional Council donated GHC3,000 and also the NPP Western Regional Treasurer, Madam Anna Akaisi Horma Miezah gave GHC2,000 to support improvement of the hospital.