The Church Donates Solid Waste Incinerator to Ghana Hospital

At a handover ceremony held on 4 March, 2025 in Ho, in the Volta Region in Ghana, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints formally donated a solid waste incinerator to the Ho Teaching Hospital.  Members of the hospital staff, administration, and of the Church gathered to celebrate the momentous occasion.

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Constructed in 1999, the Ho teaching hospital, which serves as a practical training and research center, provides advanced healthcare to residents of the Volta and Oti regions as well as to other parts of Ghana and even to patients from the nearby countries of Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.  As with most hospitals, the surgeries, laboratory tests, and patient care it provides generates both infections and non-infectious waste that requires incineration for proper disposal. However, the incinerator they have been using is inadequate for the increasing volume of treatment. Additionally, the extant incinerator produces noxious fumes and pollutes the environment causing respiratory problems and health risks for hospital patrons and local residents alike.

Recognizing the irony and growing seriousness of the situation, the hospital created a proposal to solicit help from private organizations.  A member of the hospital staff, who is also a member of the Church, asked for a copy of the proposal and facilitated its delivery to Area Church leaders who, upon vetting the need, responded by funding the construction of a modern solid waste incinerator with an air pollution control system.

President Benjamin Ofori, President of the Ho Ghana District, officiated at the handover.  In his remarks, he explained the Church’s involvement in projects like this: “This is one of the responsibilities of the Church. It is a social responsibility for us, for we are all children of God.  Since we teach of Christ, we testify of Him, we preach of Him, then we must show the ultimate love, that is the pure love of Christ, which is charity. This is one of the things that the Church has displayed today.”

Dr. John Tampuori, the Hospital CEO, recounted in his remarks the various challenges the hospital has faced in servicing the healthcare needs of the growing community, and then commented on the donation: “For us today it’s a celebration and indeed not just for us but for the citizens of the region because this is going to help improve the quality of health service that we give to the people. We can’t thank you enough for this kind gesture of yours.” He assured the Church representatives that the incinerator would be used exclusively for the purpose for which it was donated and promised to maintain it to the highest standards.

He continued: “I think that this is just the beginning of the great things that we can do together for the people of this region and, indeed, beyond. So on behalf of the staff and management I want to say that we appreciate this your kind gesture, and we promise that we will never disappoint you.”

Following the remarks, those who attended the ceremony left the conference room and travelled the short distance to the incinerator where Dr. Tampuori cut the ribbon to officially accept the donation.