KBTH to complete maternity block renovation soon

 The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has assured the public that renovation works on the Ma­ternity Block was progressing steadily and would be completed soon.

Dr. Frank Owusu Sekyere, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of KBTH, stated during a media tour of the hospital’s projects on Monday that the renovation, which began in January with a six-month completion timeline, was already 80 per cent finished within just two months.

“The renovation ongoing now started in January, and they had six months to complete, within two months, they have done 80 per cent compared to the last certification assessment.

“If we have been able to do 80 per cent in two months, chances are that within the next two months, we may be able to complete it.

“So, we have no reason to believe that it is going to drop,” he assured, and expressed confidence that the contractor would be able to finish the work within two months.

Dr. Owusu Sekyere and the man­agement of the hospital were touring projects sites to assess the progress of work.

The group also inspected ongoing works on Ward E, Orthopaedic Ward (Ward H), the Oxygen Plant, and the construction site of the KBTH perime­ter wall to improve security.

The GH₵3.5 million renovation of the maternity block, which began in January 2025, was aimed at improving patient safety.

The renovation mainly targets the building’s external structure, which had weakened over time with crum­bling castings and exposed metal parts.

The work involves dismantling the damaged sections, recasting, plaster­ing, and repainting the entire exte­rior to restore its appearance, as the building’s structural integrity remains intact.

Dr. Isaac Koranteng, Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynae­cology, explained that the decision to renovate rather than demolish the old structure was influenced by recent economic challenges, including the domestic debt exchange programme.

“Originally, there were plans to construct an 11-story maternity and gynecology complex that would have replaced the current block. “Because of the discussion that we’ve had about the possibility of a new block, it wasn’t in our interest to put money in here when a new one was coming. But now we have realized that we need to concentrate on fortifying this,” he added.

Dr. Koranteng stated that the reno­vation works would not disrupt health­care services at the facility, as the in­ternal structures remained operational and in good condition.

“We are still going to take care of the patients. We are still going to carry out all activities because it’s external and the internal is in good condition,” he said.

Dr. Koranteng assured the public that once completed, the renovated facility would showcase an entirely new facade, enhancing the overall ap­pearance of Ghana’s premier teaching hospital.

In response to mounting concerns about the hospital’s elevator function­ality across various blocks, he con­firmed that three new lifts had been acquired—one each for the Maternity, Surgical, and Medical Blocks. He men­tioned that preparations for the instal­lation of the new lifts were progressing smoothly. – GNA