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Ghana’s First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo today commissioned the state-of-the-art lounge facility put up by the First Atlantic Bank (FAB) at the premises of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

The facility christened-‘The Atlantic Lounge’ which was built by the bank is intended to provide a modern, comfortable waiting space for families and friends of patients who are being attended to at the premier hospital.

The facility which provides sitting space for 150 people also has restrooms and a place for banking services.

Speaking at the commissioning and handing over of the lounge to management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Mrs Akufo-Addo, said the Atlantic Lounge would bring relief to visitors to the hospital.

She urged the management of the hospital to take good care of the facility to enable it serve the purpose for which it was provided.

On his part, the Board Chairman of the First Atlantic Bank, Amarquaye Armar, said the facility formed part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) undertaking of First Atlantic Bank.

“Your Excellency, when First Atlantic Bank’s Management Team, very ably led by Managing Director, Mr Odun Odunfa, and presented the Board with your appeal for support to build this edifice, we understood its urgency and importance due to its potential role to enhance wellbeing of caregivers and visitors of patients on admission at this hospital”.

He was hopeful that the facility would provide much needed relief to those admitted to the hospital as well as to all visitors, especially mothers, children, the physically challenged, who unfortunately have had to loiter around and wait for health personnel to give them feedback and updates on the condition of relatives on admission at this hospital.

“Moreover, the rest area for children is fitted with restrooms/washrooms and can provide protection for all visitors, especially mothers and children, against adverse weather conditions, whether during the day or at night,” Mr Amar added.

The Atlantic lounge will remain “fit-for-purpose”

Mr Amar said: “It is our firm belief that this lounge will remain “fit-for-purpose” to lessen the distress and fatigue that mothers, children, and the public in general, so often experience whenever they visit Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

It is always a privilege for First Atlantic Bank to provide the communities we serve in with better access to health care and educational facilities, and thereby enhance the wellbeing of mothers, children and the public in general”.

He used the occasion to appeal to all prospective beneficiaries to use this facility strictly for intended purposes, as they all believe it greatly enhances the image of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Furthermore, Mr Amar also appealed to the Board and Management of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to collectively commit themselves to maintain this facility in peak condition at all times.

Other CSR projects of the bank

The Atlantic Lounge is the third major CSR undertaking of First Atlantic Bank that aims to enhance access to health and education for women and children in our society.

For the first undertaking, the First Atlantic Bank, according to him successfully built and handed over a well-equipped “Mother and Baby Care Unit” to the people of Talensi in the Upper East Region in 2018.

Subsequently in 2019, the bank built and successfully handed over a Classroom Unit to expand facilities available at the Cape Coast School for the Blind and Deaf.

“Over the years, First Atlantic Bank has been engaged in several other interventions to enhance the wellbeing of all the communities we serve”.

Commendations

The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu in a speech read on his behalf thanked the board, management and staff of the bank for their efforts towards the realisation of the country’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.

He also urged the management of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to put in place a sustainability plan for the new Atlantic Lounge.

While thanking the bank, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Dr Opoku Ware Ampomah, assured that the facility would be put into good use.