Mrs Matilda Amissah-Arthur, the Second Lady, has broken grounds for the construction of a GH1.5 million cedi Hospice, in Koforidua on Friday to serve as care centre for the terminally ill and the sick in society till their death.
The facility which is an initiative of Monsignor Bobby Benson, the founder and Director of the Mathew 25 House, an HIV and AIDS Care center, is the first of its kind in Ghana and the whole sub-region.
The Hospice is a Home where sick and dying persons would be cared for in the comfort of caregivers and their relatives creating an environment for solidarity in the end of life so that people irrespective of their backgrounds would die in dignity and peace without the usual emotional pain that both patients and their families go through during those moments.
Mrs Amissah-Arthur in an address said the Hospice would in no doubt be of help to many Ghanaians weather rich or poor to care for their dying relatives after they had been discharged from hospitals and women would be the ultimate beneficiaries.
She said often people in dying moments were taken care of by women who were wives, sisters or daughters and hoped that people would see the importance of treating their dying relatives in dignity than celebrating their funerals.
The 2nd lady said she was touched by the passion of Monsignor Benson when she came into contact with the Mathew 25 House and noticed the sacrificial work of caring for People Living with HIV and AIDS and their children as well those who had been orphaned by the disease.
She therefore, called on all Ghanaians to support the programme because it was a worthy cause and hoped that within the shortest time the project would be completed to serve its purpose.
The Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr Damien Dedzo, extolled the importance of the project, indicating that, ideally it was part of health service delivery but unfortunately Ghana and many parts of Africa lacked it.
He therefore commended Monsignor Benson for such a laudable initiative and pledged the full support of the GHS in constructing the project as well as managing it after completion. Most Reverend Joseph Afrifa-Agyekum, Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Catholic Church said the end of life must not always be an experience of pain, fear and anguish but rather be seen as a transition and that could be possible when in that state, there was love and care.
Bishop Afrifa-Agyekum said the story of Mathew chapter 25 and that of the Good Samaritan were reference points for every human being to be compassionate to one another and especially Christians and not to neglect relations in pain and suffering.
Monsignor Benson said even though the Hospice would be an extension of the Mathew 25 House, where HIV patients and their orphans had received medical care, shelter, food and education for their children over the past ten years, it would serve others suffering from terminal ailments.
He urged all Ghanaians to support the project to come to fruition and thanked the Catholic Church for the support, especially the past and present Bishops of Koforidua, the 2nd Lady, who had been a friend of the House and the many organizations and individuals who had supported him all along.
During an appeal for fund, the 2nd Lady donated an undisclosed amount with the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) supporting with Ghc1,000 and 30 bags of cement, Reverend Father Campbell on behalf of the Christ the King Parish gave Ghc5,000, Antarctic construction Ghc5,000 and the Hospice of the Sea in the USA donated 23,000 US dollars.
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