First Lady Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo has commissioned a new waiting lounge at the Korle-Bu teaching Hospital in Accra.
The 150-seater capacity lounge, constructed by First Atlantic Bank, upon a request by the Fist Lady will serve visitors and relatives of patients detained at the emergency wards of the hospital, namely the Accident Emergency Department, Trauma Unit and the Paediatric Intensive Care Units.
Commissioning the facility, Rebecca Akufo-Addo who is also the Executive Director of The Rebecca Foundation recalled that in May 2019 when she commissioned the Rebecca Akufo-Addo Paediatric Intensive care Unit constructed by the Rebecca Foundation, she observed with worry that though Korle Bu is the largest Hospital in the country with about 2000 beds and close to 1500 visits a day, it lacked a decent waiting area for visitors and relatives of patients who were detained at the Hospital’s emergency wards.
She said the sad state of the already traumatized visitors having to wait under trees and other uncomfortable places for news of their hospitalized loved ones urged her to work through the Rebecca Foundation to request the First Atlantic Bank to provide a decent waiting area to offer comfort, safety, peace of mind and protection against the vagaries of the weather, to visitors and relatives of the hospital’s patients.
“I expressed my desire to find a solution to Dr Okoe Boye, who was the Board Chair of Korle Bu at the time. We approached some corporate institutions, including the First Atlantic Bank, to build a waiting area for Korle Bu. Fortunately, our proposal for a waiting area was in line with the Corporate Social objectives of the bank. The Managing Director of the First Atlantic Bank, acknowledged the enormous relief that such a project would bring to citizens, who have to wait as their relatives and friends undergo medical care”.
The waiting lounge is fitted with washrooms and other auxiliary facilities that may be needed by visitors including banking solutions to those who might require financial services.
The First Lady charged the management of Korle-Bu Hospital to ensure that the place is well maintained while entreating visitors to the facility to keep it clean and adhere to all hygienic protocols.
Managing Director of First Atlantic Bank, Odun Odunfa said his institution in meeting their corporate social responsibilities is proud to associate with the First Lady and The Rebecca Foundation to execute humanitarian projects to enhance the welfare of society and assured Rebecca Akufo-Addo of his bank’s continuous support to the Rebecca Foundation.
Chief Executive Officer of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr. Opoku Ware Amposah, on behalf of management and staff of the hospital expressed their profound gratitude to the First Lady and Management of First Atlantic Bank for a beautiful facility which he said will go a long way to provide some comfort to relatives and friends of patients in their Emergency wards.
She used the occasion to visit the Rebecca Akufo-Addo Paediatric and Intensive Care Unit (PICU) which was also constructed by the Rebecca Foundation on the premises of the Korle-Bu hospital to observe the facility’s usage and maintenance by patients and management.
She expressed satisfaction at how well the facility has been maintained and encouraged management to continue with their exemplary maintenance culture to ensure that such facilities stand the test of time.
She also assured all present that the Rebecca Foundation is committed to the well-being of Ghanaian women and children and will continue to work earnestly, in their interest.
By Sheila Satori Mensa