President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Sunday cut the sod for a 40 bed Municipal Hospital at Kpone, in the Greater Accra Region.

The project, with a time line of 24 months, will upon completion, be fitted with staff offices, outpatient department and a public health wing, surgical suite consisting of a theatre, recovery ward, and a sterilisation unit, delivery unit and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), laboratory, pharmacy and x-ray, beds for males, females and pediatrics, services block containing the laundry, stores and a cold room, and staff accommodation.

Other components of the project package include supply and installation of medical equipment, 1-year post completion warranty and maintenance, and a training component for staff.

At a ceremony in the Kpone Katamanso Constituency, he said the development was a sure sign of the commitment of his administration to make health care accessible to all Ghanaians.

The President told the people of the township that the Municipal hospital was one of 12 such facilities planned across the country that government had secured funding for.

He disclosed that an amount of €75.5 million had been secured from Erste Group Bank AG and ?eská Spo?itelna a.s. for the construction and equipping of 12 hospitals.

Other beneficiary communities include Jumapo, Kwabeng, Nkwatia, Achiase and Adukrom in the Eastern Region; Suame, Drobonso, Sabronum, Manso Nkwanta, Twedie in the Ashanti Region; and Mim in the Ahafo Region.

The project will be constructed by VAMED Engineering GmbH of Austria, a global leader in the construction of healthcare facilities.

The ceremony was part of activities lined up for the President's four-day tour of the Greater Accra Region.

The President will hold durbars with the chiefs and people during his tour, cut the sod for the rehabilitation of existing projects and Commission new projects.

President Akufo-Addo indicated that the start of the 12 projects, was further evidence of Government’s commitment to achieving the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and Universal Health Coverage for all Ghanaians.

The President urged the contactor to ensure the project was delivered on time and on budget, and asked that indigenes be employed on the construction sites.

“Niimei, I am delighted and honoured by your presence here, and I assure you that this project is a sign of greater things to come for Kpone, and, indeed, for the whole nation. Government’s commitment to the total development of Ghana is absolute,” he told the chiefs and people of Kpone.

The President Akufo-Addo also broke the ground for the construction of a 400-bed secondary level Regional Hospital at Tema.

That project, which would take 30 months to complete, is being funded with a €140 million facility secured for the Hospital and for the construction of the Nkoranza District Hospital; the accident and Emergency Department and a ward at Dormaa Hospital; and reconstruction of the Central Medical Stores that got burnt in January 2015.

The construction of the Tema Regional Hospital will be undertaken by the Israeli company, Engineering Development Construction.