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THE CONTROVERSY over the cost of design, construction, procurement and installation of equipment for the upgrading and major rehabilitation of the Ridge Hospital has taken another turn as critics of the cost of the project have been advised to stop wasting their time on the cost of the project and suggest possible ways on how to maximize the benefits from the project. According to a highly placed source at the Regional Hospital who wants to remain anonymous, the life of a human being is more expensive than the cost of the project and so critics ought to look at the benefits that will accrue after completion of the project. Speaking in an interview with the Daily Heritage, the source told critics that �there is nothing more expensive than the health of a human being� and therefore they should forget about the cost of the project. According to the source, even before the completion of the project, health institutions with foresight have started enquiring if they could use the hospital for practical training of their students. �Even before the project is finished those who have vision said we should use it for medical training because it is so modern that we can use it for post graduate training in medicine and medical tourism,� and this would generate a lot of funds, the source noted. Also, they could take advantage of all the corporate entities around the facility as their corporate clients to treat their staff on retainer basis to generate more internal funds to improve service delivery. �So we should think about innovative ways to maximize the benefits of the yet to be completed modern health facility rather than talking about cost,� he suggested. The cost of the project became a major issue after parliament approved an agreement between Ghana and Bouygues Batiment International of France for the design, construction, procurement and installation of equipment for the upgrading and major rehabilitation of the Ridge Hospital. Parliament in 2012 approved a credit facility agreement between Ghana and HSBC Bank for an amount of US$92.5 million and another US$157.5 million from EXIM Bank was approved for the upgrading and rehabilitation of the hospital. The project will last for 36 months and when completed, will have a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment block with 24 hour surgery, day surgery, imaging department, delivery unit, accident and emergency, neonatal intensive care unit, intensive care unit, emergency, burns and delivery units. Also, there will be pharmacy, laboratory, central sterilization, kitchen, laundry, workshop, a school of anesthesia, provision of staff housing for critical staff among others. But, Minority Leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu said the cost of US$6,757 per square meter hospital when completed will make the facility the most expensive in the world. Mr. Mensah-Bonsu also stated that although crown agents advised the Ministry of Health to review the contract sum by $142 million, the ministry only agreed with the contractor to a 6% discount amounting to $27 million. The Minority also noted, on the basis of a report by a UK international company, Crown Agents, that the contract sum of $305 million was overpriced.