ACCRA, May 29  -- But for the help of Chinese government in 2010 in the construction of an ultra-modern 110-bed hospital for the people of Ledzokuku-Krowor municipality, a suburb of Ghana's capital, the over 265,000 people would still have to commute long distances to access health care.

Beatrice Noi, a 38-year-old teacher sums up the appreciation of the community for the China-Ghana Friendship hospital built by the China Geo Engineering Company with funding from the Chinese government.

"I have three children, I was able to deliver them in this hospital and the hospital has helped me a lot in terms of medicine and how the nurses cope with the patients," she stated.

She also looked back at the past when the hospital was not there with all the health needs of the locals.

"When the hospital was not there, any time our children were sick we had to rush them to the Polyclinic at Labadi (over 20 km away), but since this hospital has come here, the distance is short. If something happens we are able to rush in and the doctors are ready to take care. So we are very happy for opening of this hospital," Noi added.

Octogenarian Fred Akakpo who was in the hospital when Xinhua visited on Thursday morning was highly elated because of the short distance from his residence to the facility also called the Lekma Hospital.

"In fact this hospital has helped me a lot. In the past, if anything happened I had to go to the Teaching Hospital at Korle-Bu (30 km away) and also at Labadi (20 km away). Now a hospital is just near us. I just stay at Teshie Zongo here so at times I can walk in, So I like it," he indicated.

Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, Dr. Juliana Amey said the hospital has brought a great relief to the people in the area of health care.

"Before the inception of the hospital, patients had to travel very far distances to access health. But since this hospital came up, I think it has brought a great relief to inhabitants of this municipality," Dr. Amey said.

The hospital which was commissioned in December 2010 is the first Ghana Health Service run facility in the capital to be equipped with a Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan, with support from some Chinese institutions.

It also has a fully running laboratory, providing all kinds of care; radiology, surgical, medical, Obstetrics 7 Gynecology, dental, eye care and pediatric units.

Starting from over 60,000 outpatients, the facility recorded 110,000 outpatient visits last year alone in a municipality with a population of over 265,000.

"During the cholera outbreak last year, we played a major role: we are the municipal hospital; we are the major government hospital in this municipality so other facilities were referring all their cases to us," Dr. Amey added.

She said the challenges with financing and infrastructure such as pertained in all other facilities across the country notwithstanding, the medical team and the auxiliary staff were committed to their work in ensuring efficient health service delivery to the people of Ledzokuku-Krowor municipality.