Uncompleted KATH Maternity Block Risked Collapse – Contractor Justifies Demolition
Widespread cracks with rusted iron rods and weak pillars holding the 44-year old maternity and children’s block of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital could have led to the facility’s collapse according to consultants and contractors in charge of the redevelopment of the facility.
They have maintained that their recommendations for the building to be pulled down was based on safety threats the structure posed if it was completed for future use.
During a tour of the facility with journalists, the Project Manager at Arckito Consult, the Consultancy Firm in charge of the project, Emmanuel Asabre attributed the deterioration of the building to its exposure to weather.
“We are of the opinion that weathering is a major effect on the way the building has deteriorated as quickly as we have seen it.”
“It has been raining so you see that it keeps going through the whole building and the whole building is exposed. One portion of the building begins to rust and it spreads through the whole place.”
There were concerns by a section of the public that the decision to pull down the building will lead to financial loss to the state.
But the head of Architecture and Engineering at the Ministry of Health, Richard Vanderpuye though assured that this course of action was in the interest of the state.
“It is a huge risk because one mistake and the whole building will collapse. If you knock out one column like this, the whole building can come down,” Mr. Vanderpuye said.
“We cannot continue to do things that will cause more financial loss. We will not continue to create problems. We have enough money to build a facility that will be useful to Komfo Anokye,” he added.
The facility which was initially designed to have a 750-bed capacity will be reduced to 500 beds when redeveloped.
President Akufo-Addo in May 2020 cut the sod for the construction of the project and gave a completion deadline of 36-months.
The Deutsche Bank in Germany will fund the project at a cost of €155 million.