The items included glucometers, measuring equipment, stethoscopes, cannulas, thermometers, infusion giving sets, forceps, catheters, teddy bears, exercise books and crayons.

Mr Joel Bervell, the Chief Operations Officer of Hugs for Ghana, said the NGO would later donate similar items to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, the Osu Children's Home, schools for autistic children and deprived government basic schools in the Western Region.

The total cost of all the items is 50,000 dollars, he said, and that it formed part of the NGO's activities to show benevolence to the Ghanaian society.

Madam Margaret Amoako, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services of the Princess Marie Louise Children's Hospital, who received the items, expressed gratitude to the NGO for the gesture.

"We are so excited because these items will put smiles on the faces of our children. Some of the mothers are not able to pay for the medical bills of their children and so the items would supplement the cost." 

Among the challenges the Hospital faced, she said, were how to house the x-ray machines and laboratory equipment, as well as accommodation for staff, which sometimes made the facility to run at a loss.

"The Hospital also has many cracks at the back of the building with electrical problems that need to be addressed," Madam Amoako said.

She noted that since the National Health Insurance Scheme was not reimbursing the Hospital regularly, the donations received support it to run smoothly.