Mary Theresa Hospital in Dodi Papase (Ghana)

Ghana is a country in Western Africa of 234000 square km. It is independant since 1957 and has 23 million habitants. Dodi Papase is situated in the north of the Volta region, 200 km north of the town of Accra, between the Volta lake and the border with Togo.

Dodi Papase was in former times a large area of cocoa cultivation, which gave sufficiently work to its inhabitants. Years ago however an illness had struck the plants and the harvests were destroyed to a large extent. The farmers stopped the cultivation of cacao.

Mary Theresa Hospital in Dodi Papase

The Mary Theresa Hospital at Dodi Papase in Ghana was created in 1963 and it is the district hospital since 1985. The Hospital serves a local population of 100,000 people as well as many others from over the border of the neighbouring country, Togo. The hospital has 90 beds with the departments of surgery, Gynäkologie, inside and Pädiatrie; beyond that there is a small eye station. Annually 13,100 patients are treated (numbers of 2007). Since 2008 the numbers rise clearly.

 

The Pentangular Project

These pictures were made in the Mary Theresa Hospital at Dodi Papase before our project:

The outside of the old hospital	The situation inside the hospital is not better
Nurse in a patient room (90 beds)	Questionable hygiene

The hospital in Dodi Papase has needs. The Pentangular project has as objective to refurbish and re-equip the Mary Theresa Hospital.  The plans include:
– rebuilding the operating theatre,
– providing a new power plant,
– a new water purification plant,
– medical equipment and
– staff training.

This project was retained by the 5 clubs for its coherence, its feasibility and its possible follow-up. Ghana is in a good process of democratization and it is a stable country.

Work in Progress

The emphasis of the builing and refurbishing project lies in the years 2007 and 2008. Results will be achieved in close co-operation with the Ghanaian government, by structural measures, by supply of medical equipment and by support and advieses by the German Rotary Volunteer Doctors (GRVD).

 

Mortuarium	Supply chain for building materials
Mortuarium	Heavy transport

 

Meetings with local representatives

Representatives from the five Pentangular Clubs paid a fact finding visit to the hospital in June 2008 to monitor progress and hold discussions with the local project managers.

The hospital “Maria Théresa” is managed by the diocese of Jasikan. Its person in charge signed collaboration agreements with German Rotary Voluntary Doctors. Its senior in rank is archbishop and Rotarian in Ghana and supports the project. The Rotary Club of Accra is the local contact club. They follow up the progress of the operations.

There is a double control: by the German doctors on the one hand and the Rotary Club of Accra on the other hand, under the eye of the archbishop.

 

New situation

After a couple years of works, the results become visible.	New building
New building	New building
New laboratory	Training
ECG Training for Frank	Operation table
Patients in the hospital
Musquito nets in the patient rooms	Refurbished equipment gives access to nowadays medical techniques

 

Opening ceremony

	On February 17th 2010, an official ceremony was held to open the refurbished Mary Theresa hospital, in the presence of the king, the bischop and locals. The Rotary Pentangular Clubs were also represented.