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Telecommunication giants, MTN Ghana has constructed a blood bank facility for the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
The facility which costed MTN a whopping Gh¢300,000 boast of reception area, office, donor lounge or corridor, bleeding room, laboratory, fridge room, store room, washroom and locally fabricated donation couches.
Speaking at the hand over ceremony on Monday, June 14, 2021, the Chief Corporate Services Executive of MTN Ghana, Samuel Koranteng stated that his outfit embarked on the project when they received the request to construct the blood bank for Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
He said that, ” We saw it as a unique opportunity to leave a lasting legacy for our blood donation exercises over the years. The construction of this facility therefore serves as a good symbolism of our contribution to the collection and storage of blood in Ghana. We are even more excited because we are making a significant contribution to the health needs of the people of this country. “[ads3]
Mr. Koranteng urged the management and staff of the hospital to observe the highest form of maintenance culture, adding that “we are hopeful that should we pay a visit after 5 years, we will find it as fresh as it is today.”
Appreciation and World Blood Donor Day Celebrations
“The commissioning of this facility coincides with the day the United Nations has set aside to celebrate Blood Donors. As we celebrate World Blood Donor Day, I would like to salute all individuals who have donated blood to save lives. We take this opportunity to once again say a special thanks to all those who have participated in MTN’s Valentine Day’s “Save a Life” initiative. We commend you highly for the commitment to this cause and for your compassion for humanity.”
He continued that the significance of blood in healthcare delivery especially in emergency cases and in cases of obstetric hemorrhage cannot be over emphasized, hence the need for MTN Foundation to institute an annual blood donation exercise which has over the years yielded 20,036 pints of blood.[ads1]
“Infact this is more, because in the past we organized a few more blood donation exercise as part of our 21 Days of Yello care staff volunteering activities”
” I once again thank all MTN staff and the thousands of volunteers who join us annually to donate safe blood. We also thank our partners, the National Blood service and the various hospitals who work with us to enable us deliver safe blood. We will like to encourage more donors to support the work of the National Blood service.”
He stressed that the continuous patronage of MTN’s services that gives the company the funds to set monies to enable to invest over 15 million dollars in the project and in 165 major projects across the country. These include the provision of 40–Bed Maternity Block for the Tema General Hospital, maternity ward for Elisa Government Hospital and the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for the Tamale Teaching Hospital just to mention a few.[ads4]
He concluded that MTN as part of celebrating its Silver Jubilee in Ghana, the telecommunication giants is rewarding all of its customers with 25 minutes’ free time for the first call throughout the month of June.”
” For our first 2500 customers who joined from the inception of the company till date, you have unlimited calls this month and 250 people out of the first customers will receive special gifts from MTN. More rewards will be coming in the course of the year.”
The Chief Executive for the Cape coast Teaching Hospital, Dr. Eric Kofi Ngyedu was very much appreciative of MTN’s support and indicated that the facility would compliment and enhance maternal health services, most especially curbing or possibly ending post-partum hemorrhage which had taken lives at the hospital.
He elaborated that the data available to the management on the maternal death is worrying though with marginal improvement recorded over the past year.
He said “that the hospital recorded 26 maternal deaths in 2020 as compared to 28 reported in the previous year, with a corresponding ratio of 903/100,000 live births, and 925/100,00 respectively.”
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