Ridge Regional Hospital benefits from a partnership to provide a Maternity Operating Theatre
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – JUNE 4, 2011
Ridge Regional Hospital, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Ghana International Women’s Club (GIWC) and Kybele Inc. (an US NGO) have entered into a partnership to create a functional maternity operating theatre for the use of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the Ridge Hospital in Accra, Ghana.
According to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on June 4th, these partners will each contribute to Ghana’s achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) four and five through this renovation. MDG 4 aims to reduce the mortality of children under five by two thirds, and MDG 5 aims to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters from 1990 to 2015. The partnership supports the Ministry of Health’s commitment to achieve these MDGs by improving access to quality health care.
The MOU is the result of a collaborative effort between these different partners, each of which saw the need for a fully functional maternity operating theatre at the regional hospital. GIWC in line with its objective of improving the lives of the less privileged in Ghana, especially women and children, identified the Ridge Hospital Project as a fitting project that would be to the benefit of women in Ghana. Kybele improves childbirth safety through educational partnerships that increase operational capacity, continuous quality improvement and efficiency within selected Ghana program sites. Under the Focus Region Health Project (FRHP), USAID supports improvements in maternal and child health services and health systems in three regions, including Greater Accra.
GIWC has been instrumental in initiating and facilitating the project, entering into negotiations with Ridge Hospital Management, undertaking fundraising and finally securing partners in both USAID/FRHP and Kybele Inc. Ridge Hospital will supervise and administer compliance with the scope of work for the renovation and refurbishment of the operating theatre. GIWC contributed the design of the new theatre and will finance the actual renovation work. USAID, through its Focus Regional Health Project (FRHP), will be supplying the medical equipment for the theatre. Kybele will provide technical assistance, additional equipment and training related to the project.
