The Minister for Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, has inspected ongoing work on the new maternity block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.

He said the first phase of the ongoing construction of the maternity and children's block was scheduled for completion in May 2024.

According to the Minister, the work on the 507-bed capacity project started in February 2021, following the demolition of a 45-year-old building over structural integrity issues.

He added that the decision by the government to construct a new maternity and children's ward followed several technical, architectural and structural tests on the old building which suggested its structural integrity could not be guaranteed.

"The original idea was to rehabilitate that building but we found out structurally that it was not worth completing it. We would've given ourselves a death trap. So, the idea came that let's use the same quantum of money to do a new thing," he emphasized.

He noted that the 5-storey building would be equipped with modern theatres, pediatric neurology, haematology, cardio and respiratory wards to provide one-stop modern care for mothers and children. It would also contain paediatrics infectious disease unit, mother and baby unit and pediatric renal unit.