Sir David Adjaye OBE is a Ghanaian-British architect who has won many awards for his outstanding work towards the welfare of distinct communities. He has an excellent and unique approach towards utilizing materials which proves his exceptional skills for artistic sensibilities. In 2000, Sir David began his practice, Adjaye Associates, and today his firm has a global influence with design studios in London, New York, and Accra.
The firm does not just work for small private sectors; it functions for all kinds of architectural disciplines, from hosting exhibitions to constructing temporary pavilions for art centres. With his impressive design style, his works are being acknowledged and appreciated by thousands worldwide for its essence and diversity but mostly due to its sincere regard for serving people.
About Ghana
Ghana is the world’s second-best producer of Cocoa. It is also the biggest country to have gold mines after South Africa. Still, there are hundreds of factors that contribute to declining the country’s economy. The physical infrastructure is far to be efficiently developed and the Capital Intensive Services benefit from all the economic sectors. They are at the top of the food chain since these Capital Intensive Services are tied up with multinational companies that hold the best facilities.
Public below the poverty line and lower-income groups are the ones who receive the leftovers. The poverty rate is very high, somewhere near 21.4%. The biggest health problem sucking the best off of people’s livelihoods is Malaria. The country immensely suffers from it.
Transforming Ghana’s Medical System
The Ghanaian Government has positively affirmed that it has total funds of $100 Million through Ghana Investment Infrastructure Fund (GIIF). These funds had been secured for new public healthcare facilities. Adjaye Associates has assured to develop their project on 88 sites throughout Ghana. Nana Akufo-Addo, the President of Ghana, initiated this large-scale project on August 17th in the Ashanti region to begin the construction. This ceremony was an official commencement of the project.
The Design Strategies adapted by Adjaye Associates
Each district hospital has an expected timeline of eighteen months and would have an overall construction cost of $17 Million. The process is simple. The design has a common theme and every aspect of this design will be replicated on different site locations, which will ultimately be executed as per the climatological conditions of that region. Certain alterations in the project developed by Adjaye Associates might be needed to fit the site’s context where these district hospitals are to be built.
Various Departments and Facilities
These district hospitals have the most primary facilities: pediatric wards, maternity wards, emergency departments, and pharmacy. The medical facilities are expected to function smoothly in the coming years. But along with the best medical facilities, there are green spaces, central courtyards. These green spaces not just fulfil climatological necessities but will also enhance the emotional, mental, and physical conditions. Green spaces stabilize a human’s mental state, and blue spaces induce a sense of tranquillity.
The entire hospital design is designed with the patient being the focal point since it is the patient that needs to feel the most comfortable. Inverted Gable Roofs will be constructed throughout the patient wards which will allow the flow of natural light. Along with these V-shaped coverings, earth bricks will be incorporated in the Adjaye Associates project. These earth bricks are created from mud and exhibit excellent qualities such as sound resistant, insect resistant, non-toxic, and fire-resistant. Earth bricks are perfect for maintaining ecological balances since they truly exhibit the qualities of sustainability.
Many other sustainable materials will be used along with earth bricks. These sure will balance the chemical and biological aspects.
Medical Tourism
The health professionals and everyone belonging to the field of medical science will majorly benefit from this project. As estimated, Adjaye Associates will be creating 20,000 job opportunities. Health professionals and other medical associates will help in exempting Ghana from its economic burden and largely improve the health conditions of its citizens. It is a great step towards increasing tourism via providing the best medical facilities. The country is already suffering from the non-availability of the most primary health resources.
Adjaye Associates are without a doubt about to transform Ghana with this enhancement in the medical system. 101 hospitals will serve the people of Ghana with every medical facility that the hospitals are abundantly equipped with. This project will not just urge the country’s people to utilize these advanced services but also increase employability and prospects. With increasing diseases, there is an urgent need to improve the medical facilities.
Hopefully, Ghana will bloom with prosperity shortly since the country is in desperate need of medical attention. With smoothly functioning medical services, one can expect Ghana to be a healthy country in no time. Let us just cross our fingers, work harder and hope for the best!
References
Adjaye Associates. (n.d.). Who We Are. [online] Available at: https://www.adjaye.com/who-we-are/.
WorldAtlas. (n.d.). Ghana Maps & Facts. [online] Available at: https://www.worldatlas.com/maps/ghana.
