Proposal

Mawuli Diagnostic & Treatment Centre is a duly registered private enterprise strategically formed to empower healthcare delivery, assuring patients that diagnostic and therapeutic tools will be made available for them for the first time in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region, improving their health and saving the lives of millions of people.

It was duly registered on 11th February 2015 at the Registrar-General's Department in Accra with the registration number BN910372015. In the future, as part of the vision, we will have sister companies registered in other countries of the region.

With your collaboration, we seek to provide quality healthcare that will make a difference by improving the health of the people of Ghana and Africa at large.

This proposal seeks to achieve extraordinary improvements in human health by providing a central diagnostic centre in Accra where Ghana and the West Africa sub-region can send their samples/patients for diagnosis and/or therapeutics. We shall also operate in strategic locations in all the regional capitals and densely populated cities of Ghana, where patients can access these diagnostic and therapeutic tools. We are also proposing a partnership with the government to establish/refurbish the existing facilities on their premises all over the country, collaborating in the Clinical Laboratory, Pathology, Telemetry, Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology, Genetic, Neurophysiologic, Pulmonary, Allergy, Surgical and Imaging Diagnostic and Treatment Centres, so that patients do not see themselves crisscrossing town in search of those infrequently needed tests and treatments and many times having their samples sent abroad or they themselves going abroad because those tools are either broken in the government facilities or non-existent in our country. A percentage of the profit goes to the government facility in which we operate and this will help strengthen its auto-sustainability.

As the experience becomes successful in Ghana, we will extend our tentacles to disseminate to the entire continent of Africa where, except for South Africa, healthcare delivery in general, including hospitals, diagnostic tests and pharmacies, operates at the lowest levels in the world. The payment capacity of individuals in most African countries is on the increase as most economies develop to enter the lower middle-class range. African economies are among the fastest growing in the world. Today the continent is poised to transform the global economic landscape. Annual growth is expected to average 7% over the next 20 years.

We are proposing to your organisation to have a joint venture with us to help solve the deficiencies in the area of diagnostics in healthcare delivery not only in Ghana but also in Africa as a whole.

Your organisation will leave an indelible legacy and ever be remembered in the annals of history for the good they have done to elevate the quality of healthcare in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

The Board of Directors of Mawuli Diagnostic & Treatment Centre, led by Dr. Emmanuel Yao Voado, MD, the Founder, and your organisation will both select the Management Committee that will see to the day-to-day administration of these centres.

Africa is the second-largest continent in the world, after Asia, both in land area and population. The continent covers approximately 30.37 million square kilometres (11.73 million square miles), representing about 20% of the Earth's total land area.

Africa is bordered by:

• The Mediterranean Sea to the north

• The Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the northeast

• The Indian Ocean to the southeast

• The Atlantic Ocean to the west

The continent also includes Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, as well as numerous island nations and archipelagos.

Africa’s population is estimated at about 1.48–1.50 billion people in 2025, accounting for roughly 17–18% of the global population. Africa has the youngest population of any continent, with approximately 60% of Africans under the age of 25 and a median age of about 19.7 years. Urbanisation is increasing rapidly, with about 44% of Africans now living in urban areas.

This youthful demographic structure provides Africa with a powerful demographic dividend, giving the continent enormous potential for long-term economic expansion, innovation, and industrial growth. With a rapidly expanding workforce, Africa is well positioned to become one of the most dynamic economic regions of the 21st century.

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by land area, while Nigeria is the most populous country on the continent.

Africa, particularly East Africa, is widely considered the birthplace of humanity. Fossil discoveries of early hominids and their ancestors dating back over 6–7 million years have been found in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, providing important evidence of early human evolution.

History

Africa has one of the world’s oldest recorded histories. Around 3300 BC, written historical records began in Northern Africa with the rise of literacy in the Pharaonic civilization of Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Egypt became one of the earliest and longest-lasting civilizations in human history, influencing surrounding regions culturally, politically, and economically for thousands of years. The Egyptian state continued to flourish until 343 BC, when it was conquered by the Persians, later becoming part of the Greek and Roman empires.

Across the continent, numerous powerful civilizations later emerged, including:

• The Kingdom of Kush

• The Aksumite Empire

• The Ghana Empire

• The Mali Empire

• The Songhai Empire

• The Great Zimbabwe civilization

These societies developed extensive trade networks linking Africa to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, facilitating the exchange of goods, knowledge, and culture.

Climate

Africa straddles the equator, making it the only continent that extends from the northern temperate zone to the southern temperate zone.

As a result, the continent contains a wide range of climatic regions, including:

• Tropical rainforest climates in Central Africa

• Savanna grasslands across much of East and Southern Africa

• Semi-arid Sahel regions between the desert and savanna

• Desert climates in the Sahara Desert and Namib Desert

Africa is often described as the hottest continent on Earth, and approximately 60% of the continent’s land area consists of drylands and deserts. The Sahara Desert in North Africa is the largest hot desert in the world.

Politics

Africa currently consists of 54 internationally recognized sovereign countries, making it the continent with the largest number of independent states.

In addition, there are:

• Several dependent territories

• A few partially recognized or disputed states

Africa also includes several island nations located in surrounding oceans.

Indian Ocean islands

• Union of the Comoros

• Republic of Madagascar

• Republic of Seychelles

• Republic of Mauritius

Atlantic Ocean islands

• Republic of Cape Verde

• São Tomé and Príncipe

Most African countries operate as republics, typically under presidential or semi-presidential systems of government.

Over the past two decades, many African countries have implemented political reforms, improved governance structures, and economic liberalization, attracting significant foreign investment. Much of this investment has come from China, the United States, the European Union, and Gulf countries, contributing to infrastructure development and economic expansion across the continent.

Natural Resources

Africa is one of the richest continents in terms of natural resources. The continent holds significant shares of global mineral reserves, including:

• Approximately 70–75% of the world’s cobalt

• Over 90% of global platinum reserves

• About 50% of global gold reserves

• Nearly 98% of chromium reserves

• Over 60% of global manganese reserves

Large deposits of uranium, diamonds, and rare earth minerals are also found across the continent.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo possesses about 70% of the world’s coltan reserves, a mineral essential for producing electronic components used in smartphones and computers. The country also holds more than one-third of the world’s diamond reserves.

Meanwhile, Guinea holds the largest bauxite reserves in the world, making it a key supplier to the global aluminium industry.

Economy

Africa has experienced significant economic transformation in recent decades. Since the early 2000s, many African economies have maintained steady economic growth driven by services, natural resources, infrastructure development, and expanding consumer markets.

The continent’s combined GDP is estimated at over $3 trillion, making Africa one of the fastest-growing economic regions globally.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth averaged around 3.6% in 2024, with projections suggesting continued growth in the coming years.

Several African countries consistently rank among the fastest-growing economies in the world, including:

• Ethiopia

• Rwanda

• Côte d’Ivoire

• Senegal

• Tanzania

• Ghana

• Benin

• Niger

• Uganda

• Kenya

Africa’s rapid population growth, urbanisation, expanding middle class, and increasing adoption of digital technologies are contributing to the continent’s economic transformation.

Development Potential

Africa’s youthful population creates enormous opportunities for economic expansion. With 60% of the population under the age of 25, the continent has the potential to develop a powerful workforce capable of driving industrialization, entrepreneurship, and technological innovation.

Major development potentials include:

• A large and growing labour force capable of driving industrial production

• Rapid urbanisation and expansion of consumer markets

• Vast agricultural potential, including approximately 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land

• Enormous renewable energy potential, especially solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy

• Rapid technology adoption and digital innovation

• Expanding continental trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

• Growing creative industries and digital economies

• Increasing diaspora investment and remittance flows

These factors position Africa as a continent with unprecedented long-term growth potential.

Economic Challenges

Despite these opportunities, many African economies still face structural challenges, including:

• High unemployment rates

• Limited industrialisation

• Infrastructure deficits

• Income inequality

• Persistent poverty in some regions

Much of Africa’s economic growth in recent decades has been driven by services rather than manufacturing or agriculture, which has sometimes resulted in economic growth without sufficient job creation.

Nevertheless, Africa’s young population, abundant natural resources, expanding markets, and growing technology sector provide strong potential for sustained economic development and global economic influence in the decades ahead.

Africa is the second-largest continent in the world, after Asia, both in land area and population. The continent covers approximately 30.37 million square kilometres (11.73 million square miles), representing about 20% of the Earth's total land area.

Africa is bordered by:

• The Mediterranean Sea to the north

• The Suez Canal and the Red Sea to the northeast

• The Indian Ocean to the southeast

• The Atlantic Ocean to the west

The continent also includes Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, as well as numerous island nations and archipelagos.

Africa’s population is estimated at about 1.48–1.50 billion people in 2025, accounting for roughly 17–18% of the global population. Africa has the youngest population of any continent, with approximately 60% of Africans under the age of 25 and a median age of about 19.7 years. Urbanisation is increasing rapidly, with about 44% of Africans now living in urban areas.

This youthful demographic structure provides Africa with a powerful demographic dividend, giving the continent enormous potential for long-term economic expansion, innovation, and industrial growth. With a rapidly expanding workforce, Africa is well positioned to become one of the most dynamic economic regions of the 21st century.

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by land area, while Nigeria is the most populous country on the continent.

Africa, particularly East Africa, is widely considered the birthplace of humanity. Fossil discoveries of early hominids and their ancestors dating back over 6–7 million years have been found in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania, providing important evidence of early human evolution.

History

Africa has one of the world’s oldest recorded histories. Around 3300 BC, written historical records began in Northern Africa with the rise of literacy in the Pharaonic civilization of Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Egypt became one of the earliest and longest-lasting civilizations in human history, influencing surrounding regions culturally, politically, and economically for thousands of years. The Egyptian state continued to flourish until 343 BC, when it was conquered by the Persians, later becoming part of the Greek and Roman empires.

Across the continent, numerous powerful civilizations later emerged, including:

• The Kingdom of Kush

• The Aksumite Empire

• The Ghana Empire

• The Mali Empire

• The Songhai Empire

• The Great Zimbabwe civilization

These societies developed extensive trade networks linking Africa to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, facilitating the exchange of goods, knowledge, and culture.

Climate

Africa straddles the equator, making it the only continent that extends from the northern temperate zone to the southern temperate zone.

As a result, the continent contains a wide range of climatic regions, including:

• Tropical rainforest climates in Central Africa

• Savanna grasslands across much of East and Southern Africa

• Semi-arid Sahel regions between the desert and savanna

• Desert climates in the Sahara Desert and Namib Desert

Africa is often described as the hottest continent on Earth, and approximately 60% of the continent’s land area consists of drylands and deserts. The Sahara Desert in North Africa is the largest hot desert in the world.

Politics

Africa currently consists of 54 internationally recognized sovereign countries, making it the continent with the largest number of independent states.

In addition, there are:

• Several dependent territories

• A few partially recognized or disputed states

Africa also includes several island nations located in surrounding oceans.

Indian Ocean islands

• Union of the Comoros

• Republic of Madagascar

• Republic of Seychelles

• Republic of Mauritius

Atlantic Ocean islands

• Republic of Cape Verde

• São Tomé and Príncipe

Most African countries operate as republics, typically under presidential or semi-presidential systems of government.

Over the past two decades, many African countries have implemented political reforms, improved governance structures, and economic liberalization, attracting significant foreign investment. Much of this investment has come from China, the United States, the European Union, and Gulf countries, contributing to infrastructure development and economic expansion across the continent.

Natural Resources

Africa is one of the richest continents in terms of natural resources. The continent holds significant shares of global mineral reserves, including:

• Approximately 70–75% of the world’s cobalt

• Over 90% of global platinum reserves

• About 50% of global gold reserves

• Nearly 98% of chromium reserves

• Over 60% of global manganese reserves

Large deposits of uranium, diamonds, and rare earth minerals are also found across the continent.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo possesses about 70% of the world’s coltan reserves, a mineral essential for producing electronic components used in smartphones and computers. The country also holds more than one-third of the world’s diamond reserves.

Meanwhile, Guinea holds the largest bauxite reserves in the world, making it a key supplier to the global aluminium industry.

Economy

Africa has experienced significant economic transformation in recent decades. Since the early 2000s, many African economies have maintained steady economic growth driven by services, natural resources, infrastructure development, and expanding consumer markets.

The continent’s combined GDP is estimated at over $3 trillion, making Africa one of the fastest-growing economic regions globally.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth averaged around 3.6% in 2024, with projections suggesting continued growth in the coming years.

Several African countries consistently rank among the fastest-growing economies in the world, including:

• Ethiopia

• Rwanda

• Côte d’Ivoire

• Senegal

• Tanzania

• Ghana

• Benin

• Niger

• Uganda

• Kenya

Africa’s rapid population growth, urbanisation, expanding middle class, and increasing adoption of digital technologies are contributing to the continent’s economic transformation.

Development Potential

Africa’s youthful population creates enormous opportunities for economic expansion. With 60% of the population under the age of 25, the continent has the potential to develop a powerful workforce capable of driving industrialization, entrepreneurship, and technological innovation.

Major development potentials include:

• A large and growing labour force capable of driving industrial production

• Rapid urbanisation and expansion of consumer markets

• Vast agricultural potential, including approximately 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land

• Enormous renewable energy potential, especially solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy

• Rapid technology adoption and digital innovation

• Expanding continental trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

• Growing creative industries and digital economies

• Increasing diaspora investment and remittance flows

These factors position Africa as a continent with unprecedented long-term growth potential.

Economic Challenges

Despite these opportunities, many African economies still face structural challenges, including:

• High unemployment rates

• Limited industrialisation

• Infrastructure deficits

• Income inequality

• Persistent poverty in some regions

Much of Africa’s economic growth in recent decades has been driven by services rather than manufacturing or agriculture, which has sometimes resulted in economic growth without sufficient job creation.

Nevertheless, Africa’s young population, abundant natural resources, expanding markets, and growing technology sector provide strong potential for sustained economic development and global economic influence in the decades ahead.

Dr Emmanuel Yao Voado, MD – Founder & CEO, Wonder Medical City:

Dr. Emmanuel Yao Voado is the founder and CEO of Wonder Medical City and the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation, bringing decades of cutting-edge experience in the medical field. Born in 1971 to a Christian family of limited resources in Tefle, Volta Region, Ghana, he always aspired to break the backbone of poverty through education. At the age of 12, he received a prophecy that he would go abroad to further his education. In 1985, at age 14, this prophecy was fulfilled, although with challenges. After taking the exams to send students to Cuba, he placed first in his municipality but was unjustly replaced by the son of the most powerful politician there. A concerned citizen intervened, taking him to the office of the late President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, which allowed him to participate in the national test, where he again placed first.

Dr. Voado studied in Cuba for 17 years, progressing from junior high school to becoming a medical doctor 29 years ago and a neurosurgeon 25 years ago. Throughout his education, he consistently graduated summa cum laude. He authored a book on Organic Chemistry at the end of his senior high school in Cuba, where he excelled in chemistry quizzes among students from 36 countries. At the conclusion of his neurosurgical training in Cuba, he wrote a book on spinal surgery titled "Lumbar Discopathies."

Upon completing his neurosurgical course in 2001, Dr. Voado was invited to work in Belize as the country's first local neurosurgeon for five years, during which no surgical mortality cases were reported under his care. His notable achievements in Belize included performing spinal microscopic surgeries on the longest-serving Prime Minister of Belize and the daughter of the Father of the Nation of Belize.

Currently, Dr. Voado is focused on making groundbreaking discoveries in neurosurgery to improve the prognosis of conditions such as spinal cord and brain injuries, brain tumors, and spinal degenerative disc diseases. Under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Grossman, a renowned neurosurgeon, he served as a Clinical Research Specialist, authoring several research papers presented at international conferences of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons of America.

In Ghana, he co-led the team that separated the Bansah conjoined twins and is part of the team executing many groundbreaking surgeries in West Africa, including the highly publicized awake brain surgeries.

Dr. Voado was deeply touched by the spirit of selflessness of the Cubans and Americans and this shaped his world view in the subconscious level till he came to the conscious realization that a meaningful life is not being rich, being popular, being highly educated or being perfect...It is about being real, being humble, being able to share ourselves and touch the lives of others. It is only then that we could have a full, happy and contented life. He returned home after 29 years to give back to his people in the medical field, especially, Neurological Surgery and philanthropic efforts, aiming to alleviate the struggles of the helpless, destitute, orphans, vulnerable children, widows and their children, the elderly, the mentally and physically disabled, including the deaf and blind, students, patients, and the public at large through the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation, a non-profit organization.

With the booming economy, healthcare delivery, which is one of the faces of economic growth, needs to improve in Ghana. When those who have the resources need to get medical care, they go to South Africa, India, America, and other developed countries because there is no facility in the West African sub-region to find an appreciable level of quality healthcare.

Considered a regional model for political and economic reform, Ghana has to appear as a flag bearer of healthcare delivery not only for its people but also for West Africa, as many patients from the sub-region flock to Ghana looking for better medical care. Meanwhile, Ghana itself does not have facilities like those in the developed countries and the countries with emerging economies.

Why the need for an International Diagnostic Centre? Simply because our West African neighbours still come to Ghana for medical care.

The leading government hospitals in Ghana are not fully equipped. In the areas in which they are well-equipped, maintenance of equipment is problematic. This is because it is not done in a timely manner, or there are no government funds available at that moment in time to carry out the maintenance/repair. We lack some specialties and medical equipment, which will ultimately prevent the flock of patients abroad. Most of the diagnostic equipment in the government hospitals is broken, and they are in need of investors to come on board and partner with them to permit them to function well because hospitals void of diagnostic tools can simply not execute their mandate from diagnosis to treatment. If they cannot diagnose, they cannot always treat and complete the diagnosis-treatment chain.

At this moment, the Government of Ghana has come to the conclusion that it cannot assure the efficient running of the diagnostic facilities on its premises because it does not have the budget to do it at a time when all their health facilities are highly indebted and cannot generate the funds to purchase new equipment or to maintain/repair existing ones. They now have offers to private sponsors to come and refurbish and operate the government diagnostic facilities. Please refer to Appendix 1 and 2.

The private clinics/hospitals and other medical laboratories in the country are not interested in investing in all available laboratory tests because it is not profitable for them, as they argue that there are not many patients demanding them and they would run at a loss when they invest in the equipment and the reagent. Because of this, when a doctor sees a patient who needs one of these unusual tests, they have to send the sample to South Africa for diagnosis, sometimes two weeks before the patient is definitely treated.

If it were a condition that needs prompt medical attention, then the patient’s hope of recovering without disabilities is in jeopardy. This is true for a patient with a brain aneurysm who needs an angiographic test, which can also treat him/her by coiling through the same angiography by an Interventional Radiologist or a Vascular Neurosurgeon. This condition has claimed the lives of many or rendered them neurologically disabled.

DNA tests were not done in Ghana but rather in South Africa. It was only a few months ago that the SSNIT Hospital brought DNA equipment to Ghana. We know the importance of this test in modern criminology and the resolution of many social and family conflicts.

There are some diagnostic tools that are at the same time therapeutic, like endoscopy and angiography, for the treatment of a vast group of diseases, which only in this part of the world are still being treated by performing open surgery, making the recovery process longer. These diagnostic and therapeutic tools are practically non-existent in Ghana. In cases where they exist, they are underutilised because of a lack of specialised personnel in the country.

Having all our healthcare needs locally is the only way we can stop the efflux of the rich abroad for better healthcare when they are also dying in their numbers if it is an emergency condition that does not allow for a sufficient waiting window for its transfer outside the country. We do not have local experts on the diagnosis and treatment of brain aneurysms, which is an emergency condition that continues to claim the lives of many in this country. A patient who needs complex spinal surgery to avoid or improve the condition of paralysis due to a spinal cord injury is in a similar situation because whether the person can pay or cannot pay, there is no amount of money that can save his life since emergency treatment is not available in this country.

The efforts of having a strategic plan for training human resources, especially specialists and other allied health workers at home or abroad for the challenges the health sector is facing or will face in the short term or long term, have not yet yielded the expected outcomes. A sustained plan of training the adequate quality and quantity of the new generation that will take the baton when the current generation is gone does not seem to be yielding the expected results.

Many big health facilities do not have the latest radiological and pathological investigations. The diagnostic tools like Computerised Tomography (CT) scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are outdated and so are not the best to get sensitive diagnoses.

We see patients moving from one facility to another trying to complete an investigation for diagnosis before their doctors are able to treat them. Some of the pathology samples have to be sent abroad for analysis. Some surgical treatments have to be done abroad because of a lack of equipment and/or lack of trained personnel to execute them.

The agents of change are coming into the system every year after undergoing training in developed countries; but they are either absorbed by the status quo or they are marginalised to health facilities where they do not have the tools to effect those changes for the benefit of the people. They end up giving in to the status quo, so the teaching hospitals do not always experience the changes that the new brains coming into the system could contribute to.

The foreign personnel who live and work here and those on short visits to the region need specialised healthcare facilities at the height of the developed countries to live/travel peacefully so that they do not die due to those emergency conditions whose treatment does not wait for transfer to specialised centres in the developed countries.

The inspiration came from the manner in which many patients fail to receive timely treatment due to a lack of diagnosis and the millions who, up till now, die irremediably because of a lack of diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

Therefore, there is a need for a service that will serve to:

- Improve the delivery of diagnostic services in Ghana and our West Africa sub-region.

- Have a central diagnostic centre where the whole nation and the West Africa sub-region can send their samples/patients for diagnosis and/or therapeutics.

- Provide these services on-site where the numerous general practice and specialist physicians are located, making the results faster and more convenient.

- Ensure patients have access to the diagnostic and/or therapeutic services and personnel not currently available in Ghana.

- Partner with the government to establish/refurbish the existing facilities on their premises all over the country, collaborating in the Clinical Laboratory, Pathology, Telemetry, Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology, Genetic, Neurophysiologic, Pulmonary, Allergy, Surgical, and Imaging Diagnostic and Treatment Centres, so that patients do not find themselves crisscrossing town in search of those infrequently needed tests and treatments, and many times having their samples sent abroad or they themselves going abroad because those tools are either broken in the government facilities or non-existent in our country.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:

A comprehensive diagnostic centre with all the latest diagnostic tools and specialised personnel capable of using them correctly is what we need in Ghana. This will permit more efficient medical attention to patients. It will not only save costs but also save thousands of lives of both nationals and foreigners who die because they suffer from emergency conditions whose treatment is unavailable in the country at the moment.

The Mawuli Diagnostic & Treatment Centre is expected to be the number one in class diagnostic centre in the West Africa sub-region. Apart from patients of West Africa, it will also attract workers from the USA and other developed countries, United Nations (UN) workers, the diplomatic corps, corporate bodies in the region, and other tourists who will come to Ghana to look for that medical service which is available only in our medical facility in the sub-region.

We will also open branches in different government hospitals and near some private facilities to get the samples to the central diagnostic centre or process some samples locally in those facilities in cases where those tests are in high demand.

The branches that we shall open in the government facilities are to be in partnership with those facilities where we will give the government facilities some percentage of the profits. This partnership with the government health facilities will help establish/refurbish the existing facilities on their premises all over the country, collaborating in the Clinical Laboratory, Pathology, Telemetry, Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology, Genetic, Neurophysiologic, Pulmonary, Allergy, Surgical and Imaging Diagnostic and Treatment Centres, so that patients do not see themselves crisscrossing town in search of those infrequently needed tests and treatments, and many times having their samples sent abroad or they themselves going abroad because those tools are either broken in the government facilities or non-existent in our country.

We will have the following diagnostic facilities:

- Clinical Laboratory

- Pathology Laboratory

- Genetic Laboratory

- Imaging Centre:

- X-ray and Fluoroscopy including C-arm

- Computerised Tomography (CT scan)

- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

- Ultrasonography

- Echocardiography

- Endoscopy (diagnostic and therapeutic)

- Angiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)

- Other medical diagnostic tests:

- Electrocardiogram

- Electroencephalography

- Neurophysiologic Tests

- Pulmonary Function Tests

- Allergy

As we can see in the layout, we are going to need specialists and other allied health personnel, some of whom are not available in the country at the moment. The vision of the diagnostic and treatment centre is that it will be open to doctors and allied health personnel from all walks of life, regardless of their country of origin and culture. This will create the necessary dynamism for a good medical team to take off.

In Ghana, for instance, the Cuban-trained medical practitioners could collaborate with their Ghanaian counterparts to kindle the objective of this vision. This group will serve as the basis for those Ghanaian doctors who are undergoing training outside Ghana to join them on their return. The hospital will also attract Cuban health workers who can now travel outside Cuba for a period of 2 years on sabbatical holidays to come back to Ghana after a one-month vacation in Cuba. The diagnostic centre will also be reinforced by American doctors who will come to Ghana to treat patients and share their experience with their colleagues in Ghana. Some doctors and allied medical personnel are coming from Central and South America and Eastern Europe.

This private facility, one of its kind in Ghana, will be the bridge between the inadequacies of the government and private facilities. The Diagnostic and Treatment Centre will be a Tertiary Health Care Facility with first-class capacity to cater for all the health needs of the people.

Health Care Delivery

We shall also introduce the practice of telemedicine, linking our centres with each other and our headquarters with sister mega hospitals in the developed world, and at the same time with medical centres in Ghana which will refer patients to our facility in order to improve our health care delivery. We will use technology to televise/videotape procedures/surgeries in real-time which are done in Ghana to the USA and other nations by networking both hospitals so that colleagues with their expertise in those countries can give us valuable opinions on difficult cases. Other methods of ICT will be applied in both surgical and non-surgical specialties. We shall use ICT to make our distant services available to referring medical centres in Ghana so that before patients with head injury, spinal cord injury, heart attack, and stroke come to our centre, they would coordinate with us and know the appropriate course of action they would need to execute initially before referring the patients.

The hospital will be fully computerised and the documents which at that time cannot be computerised will be scanned and kept in the computer so that patient information and other matters which pertain to the hospital will be well kept for future references.

Private Health Insurance Schemes have emerged and have come to stay as the booming economy has increased their demand. The hospital will be a provider for these private health insurances. The National Health Insurance Scheme of Ghana has the mission of providing financial risk protection against the cost of quality basic health care for all residents in Ghana. The International Hospital would be a provider for the National Health Insurance Scheme of Ghana as this would help increase the access of more people to our services. The rest of the patients will pay out of pocket fully or on payment plans.

The billing system of the diagnostic centre and its branches will be fully computerised to avoid fraud.

Target Group

We target all patients, independent of their origin, religion, culture, race, ethnicity, and political affiliation, seeking medical diagnostic solutions.

Location

Accra, the capital of Ghana, is furthermore the anchor of a larger metropolitan area, the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), which is home to about 4 million people, making it the largest metropolitan conglomeration in Ghana by population, and the eleventh-largest metropolitan area in Africa. About 55% of the doctors of Ghana are concentrated in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area. The headquarters of Mawuli Diagnostic & Treatment Centre will be located in Accra in order to get easier access to human resources.

Branches will be located in the major cities of the country and will disseminate to other countries in the region during our growth.

Implementation Plan

We will build the central diagnostic centre and at the same time negotiate with the government hospitals who will be one of our main consumers for partnership. In our partnership with the government hospitals, we will have a physical presence with some of our equipment on-site. We will also strive to locate our branches, which will simply be sample extraction/collection centres, at visible places/corners of the streets near to the consumers/private medical facilities.

We are grounded on the values of Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence (I CARE) principle.

With your joint venture, we seek to provide quality healthcare that will make a difference by improving the health of the people of Ghana and Africa at large.

With your collaboration, we both strive to meet the following expectations:

- With your collaboration, we seek to provide quality healthcare that will make a difference by improving the health of the people of Ghana and Africa at large.

- This collaboration will facilitate access to affordable and trusted medical alternatives for patients, organizations, and consumers in the African market.

- Your organization will offer its leading, affordable, timely, high-quality, and latest diagnostic tools for Ghana and Africa at large to access best-in-class healthcare facilities.

- This collaboration will continue to create opportunities in Africa, thereby increasing market share while improving patient care.

- Increasing the revenue and profitability base of the company for future developments and sustainability.

- Impact investing, as it is a socially conscious form of investing that seeks to generate both a social benefit and a meaningful financial return. It is an investment that intentionally generates sound financial return as well as measurable social and environmental impact, and this would help grow the global impact economy, especially that of Ghana and Africa, significantly.

- We would have all the tests done locally in Ghana, which has a population of almost 26 million people.

- We would have many tests done for the first time in Africa locally.

- We would have DNA tests for the first time in Ghana.

- The government and private partnership would enhance healthcare delivery.

- It would help save many lives of both our locals and our foreign brothers who live with us or are on a visit.

- It would create jobs for thousands who will be directly and indirectly involved here at home.

- Patients will be tremendously helped by avoiding their flock to South Africa, India, and first-world countries.

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) is the main teaching hospital in Ghana. Located in the city of Accra, it provides a range of clinical services to those living in the Greater Accra Region as well as acting as a supra-regional and national centre of excellence. The hospital is the third largest in Africa with sixteen clinical and diagnostic departments and a bed capacity of 2000. The hospital reports that it has an average daily attendance of 1,360 out-patients and approximately 125 patient admissions. Both laboratory and imaging services currently face a number of challenges, such as frequent equipment breakdowns due to inadequate maintenance regimes and insufficient budgets for replacing old equipment, facilities which are not “fit for purpose” (in the case of part of the current imaging centre), unreliable power supplies and power surges, and inefficient processes for sample collection and issuing results. These issues directly affect their levels of performance and ability to meet the needs of patients and clinicians. Given that this hospital is the most important tertiary referral hospital in the country, modern lab/imaging services are essential.
The procurement of a new Public Private Partnership (PPP) to deliver laboratory and imaging services should provide a solution to most of the current issues. The construction of new, international standard, accredited facilities and the introduction through the PPP contract of robust performance requirements should ensure well-maintained and efficiently operated services capable of meeting stringent output specifications. The project will be designed to encourage private revenue generation to offset public costs. The estimated capital cost (including equipment) is US$24.5 million. This will further be defined once the pre-feasibility and full feasibility studies are concluded and upon determination of the exact list of services to be included.

Project Scope:
The private sector sponsor will be responsible for the following:
- The design, construction/refurbishment, financing and operation of the facility for a period of around 15 years (2 years’ construction plus 13 years’ operation), after which the facility would be handed back to KBTH.
- The delivery of all laboratory and imaging services across the hospital (with the exception of the Cardiothoracic Unit, which operates independently of the hospital), including maintaining and operating the new facility.
- Maintain and operate existing “satellite” laboratory and imaging services currently within some of the hospital's departments.
It is envisaged that this new centre should be able to provide laboratory testing services to patients from the 7 polyclinics in Greater Accra, and provide the specialist laboratory test requirements for the government-operated hospitals where feasible. A more integrated service is also considered where the private sponsor will provide phlebotomy services at key hospital departments and surrounding polyclinics, regular courier and portering services, and electronic reporting of results.

Current Status:
The Transaction Advisor is currently working with the Ministry of Health and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to implement the best option. A private sponsor is expected to be engaged in the first quarter of 2015.

UROLOGY NEPHROLOGY CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Urology Center of Excellence project is envisioned as a state-of-the-art unit dedicated to providing top-tier urological and nephrological care. The center will feature:
- 81 Beds: To accommodate a significant number of patients requiring specialized care.
- 2 Aseptic General Operating Theatres: For performing a wide range of urological and nephrological surgeries under sterile conditions.
- 1 Septic Operating Theatre: Specifically designed for surgeries involving infections or other septic conditions.
- 4 Intermediate Care Units: To provide specialized post-operative care and monitoring for patients recovering from major surgeries.
- Laboratory Facilities: Equipped with the latest diagnostic tools to support the comprehensive care provided by the center.
- Other Relevant Facilities: Including imaging centers, outpatient consultation rooms, and patient support services.

Current Status:
The Ministry of Health has appointed a Transaction Advisor to review the feasibility studies and ensure value for money for the implementation of the project. This step is crucial to ensure that the project is financially viable and meets the highest standards of healthcare delivery.

NOTE:
There is a significant opportunity to negotiate a long-term or even perpetual presence in the largest hospital in Ghana, given the chronic issues of inadequate government budget for equipment repair and maintenance. The possibility of taking over the financial and administrative operations of diagnostic centers in all existing government facilities in Ghana is substantial. This includes:
- 4 Large Teaching Hospitals: These are the primary centers for medical education and advanced healthcare services in the country.
- Over 3000 Government-Operated Health Facilities: Spread across the nation, all facing similar challenges of underfunding and equipment maintenance.
By addressing these systemic issues, the Urology Nephrology Center of Excellence can not only provide high-quality care but also set a new standard for healthcare delivery in Ghana and the West African sub-region. This initiative aligns with the broader goal of improving healthcare infrastructure and accessibility, ultimately enhancing the health outcomes for millions of people.