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The Ridge Hospital will soon assume a new status with the commencement of major rehabilitation and upgrading of its facilities. The $250 million project which would lead to a change of name of the hospital to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital is funded by a mixed credit facility from HSBC Bank and the United States of America�s Export-Import Bank, is expected to be completed within 48 months. When completed, the hospital would have an ultra modern 420-bed capacity, a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment block with 24-hour surgery, imaging department, delivering unit accident and emergency unit and pharmacy. Other facilities that would be provided under the project are a laboratory, neonatal intensive care unit and the provision of staff housing for critical staff among others. Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony to officially commence the project in Accra, the Minister of Health, Sherry Ayittey, stressed the need for Ridge Hospital to be a regional hospital and have modern facilities for health care delivery since the percentage of patients increased on daily basis. �Ridge Regional Hospital receives referrals from hospitals and clinic within the region, sometimes including Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and even from beyond the region, from nearby towns in the Central Region, Eastern Region and Volta Region,� she said. She added that �the project is Government�s commitment in improving health care delivery to every Ghanaian wherever they may be for a healthy and wealthy population.� Ms Ayittey further said the ultra modern facility would improve access to quality maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health service adding that it would bridge equity gaps in access to health and nutrition services which would also ensure sustainable financing arrangements that project the poor. The Director General for Ridge Hospital, Dr Obeng Apori, said the major rehabilitation of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital would reduce the congestion at the hospital which had become a major challenge. He explained that about 400 staff on a daily basis deliver health service to 800 out patients and 250 inpatients and visitors within 16 different departments adding that there were no offices and rest room for health workers. He indicated that �29 percent of all patients do not have patient beds. Only 191 patients out of the 250 patient who are on admission at any time have beds which mean that about 50 are either in wheel or benches.� He therefore expressed gratitude to the government and commended the Minister for her effort in making the project a reality.