Residents of the Bolgatanga region of Ghana received a significant and critically needed boost to maternity and child care with the commissioning of a new 50-bed hospital on November 14, 2024. Construction of the facility was a multi-organizational project, with funding for the hospital provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while the project was initiated and managed by Engage Now Africa, a non-governmental organization (NGO) working in collaboration with Ghana Health Services.
New mother and child hospital handed over to Bolgatanga community on 14 November, 2024.
New mother and child hospital handed over to Bolgatanga community on 14 November, 2024.© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The Upper East Region of Ghana, of which Bolgatanga is the capital, is one of the most under served areas of the country. Low levels of industrialization, poor infrastructure and high poverty rates, combined with a less-than-ideal climate to support their subsistence farming means of existence, have made day-to-day living in this area a struggle for its residents. Limited access to education, healthcare and other essential services contribute to lower-than-average life expectancies compared with the rest of the country, and of special concern is their high rate of maternal and child mortality. In rural areas, many women still give birth at home without the assistance of trained healthcare professionals, and complications during childbirth are often not addressed promptly due to a lack of facilities or transportation challenges.
The Church’s donation, in collaboration with Engage Now Africa, has made possible a new state-of-the-art mother and child hospital to address these types of issues. While the hospital will handle general healthcare needs, it’s special focus is reflected in its modern labour and delivery rooms, laboratories and areas for emergency obstetric care, an area for pediatric care, a pharmacy, nurses’ quarters and more.
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Elder Kofi G. Sosu, an Africa West Area Seventy, explained the Church’s commitment to following the example of the Saviour.
“This maternity clinic is more than just a building; it's a sanctuary of hope, a haven of healing, and a symbol of our shared humanity ... To the people of the Upper East Region, we say: this clinic is yours. It's a gift from people who care, who believe in your worth, and who want to see you thrive," he said.
Dr. Hafiz Bin-Salih, the Upper East Regional Minister who commissioned the hospital, emphasized that “improving maternal health should be the priority of every community ... It is in this light that I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Engage Now Africa and the Church, our key partners behind the construction of this hospital.”
The hospital is located in the Sumbrungu-Agusi community of the Bolgatanga municipality, in the Upper East Region of Ghana. Its facilities are expected to service more than 1.3 million people in the area.