The Department of Child Health was established in 1964 with Dr. Susan De-Graft Johnson as the first Head of department.
The Department is a tertiary referral centre for children under 18 years with medical and surgical conditions. The facility also receives a variety of childhood medical and surgical emergencies and chronic diseases.
Since its establishment till date, there have been a number of expansions in the department with the most recent one and worthy of note being the Rebecca Akuffo-Addo Sunshine Hostel.
The Ghana Parent Association For Childhood Cancer (GHAPACC) with support from the First Lady, Her Excellency Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo built the hostel which was opened in November 2021, to house cancer children and their caregivers while receiving treatment in Korle Bu.
Initially, children receiving treatment at the facility used to be accommodated at the Mother’s Hostel at the Department of Child Health. The place had however become too small to cater to the increasing number of patients.
In line with this, GHAPACC, with support from the Rebecca Akuffo Addo Foundation constructed and commissioned the new hostel for mothers and their children. The SUNSHINE HOSTEL is also known as ‘Korle Bu Movenpick’.
Putting up the Sunshine Hostel has reduced the issue of congestion in the hostel. The new Hostel has seven rooms with two beds in each room and other bigger rooms that accommodate four clients in a room. The total bed capacity of the hostel is 54.
Inspite of the challenges however, there are some organizations supporting the upkeep of the patients and the facility.
The Sunshine Hostel currently is being managed by four (4) staff. The warden, Mrs. Vida Ampiah doubles as a Cook. There is an assistant warden, a porter and a security person.
Even though the Sunshine hostel is newly-built, it faces a lot of challenges. The main challenge is the drainage system in the building.
There is no drainage system in the building and when it rains the whole place gets flooded.
Again, the hostel has a family size kitchen which cannot take up cooking for large numbers. Cooking is therefore done at the old Mother’s Hostel and transported on daily bases to the Sunshine hostel.
Patients and relatives also have to walk a bit in order to go for clinics. This is because the hostel is situated outside the main clinical area.
Mrs. Vida Ampiah in an interview noted that the Hostel needs a proper drainage system, a kitchen and a vehicle to help make the work of management more convenient.
Currently, the Maa Sherawali Indian Ladies in Ghana have, for the past four years, taken the lead by sponsoring children at the hostel with breakfast.
The Group supported the facility with foodstuffs and lunch during Covid-19.
Another group, known as One World One Kitchen, in collaboration with Sean Hana Foundation, a pediatric oncology NGO from the United States also supports with lunch.
Lifeline for Childhood Cancer, Ghana assists with some running costs.
According to Mrs. Vida Ampiah, although NGOs support with breakfast and lunch, there is still the need for more support to keep the hostel running.
