Catholic Church commended for contributing to national development

Pramso (Ash), Oct.2, GNA - Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health, on Thursday commended the Catholic Church for its complementary role of providing infrastructure and amenities towards national development.

He said the efforts of the Church at providing schools, hospitals, water and human resource, especially in the rural areas, had helped in improving the standards of living of the people. Major Quashigah said these in an address read on his behalf by the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, Alhaji Dr. Mohammed Bin-Ibrahim at a durbar to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of the Saint Michael's Hospital at Pramso in the Bosomtwe District of Ashanti. He said the hospital had helped in the decongestion of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) through the provision of general health care. Major Quashigah said the Ministry would support the construction of a proposed Nursing Training College for the hospital.

Dr. Emmanuel Yaw Sarfo-Asante, Medical Superintendent in charge of the Hospital, appealed to the chief and people of Pramso to help them procure enough land to enable them commence the building of the Nursing Training College to train more personnel for the hospital and the entire nation as well as developing it into a Specialist hospital in future. Most Reverend Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye, Bishop of Obuasi Diocese of the Catholic Church called for the establishment of a Nursing Training College at Pramso.

The Saint Michael's Hospital was started in 1959 through the efforts or Dr. John David Veroon, a Dutch medical officer and the Late Opanin Osei Yaw, a citizen of Pramso who offered his house for the commencement of work.