Ghana Peace
Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) attained another significant milestone in safeguarding the health of its personnel, their families, and the wider Ghanaian public, via Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC), by partnering with a philanthropic family, to construct a complete Integrated Blood Bank for the GAF Critical Care Emergency Hospital (GAFCCEH), in two months.
The new well-conditioned blood bank with other comfortable facilities, constructed mainly by the STEPHENS Family with the support of their partners, was commissioned on Thursday 28 August 2025, by the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Ghana Army – Major General (Maj Gen) Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu.
Speaking at the commissioning which also hosted a blood donation exercise, the COAS said GAFCCEH, was conceived and established for the provision of timely, reliable, and sustainable medical care that will ensure the survival of troops in combat, and in the face of disasters or crises.
He added that for military personnel who daily place their lives on the line of defence of nations, access to critical care resources such as blood, can define the thin difference between life and death, and that the bank is to ensure that no soldier bleeds whilst waiting for transfusion or no family mourns a loss that science, skill and swiftness could prevent.
He also said that the bank will also serve as an enabler and a cornerstone for GAF’s medical readiness, boosting capacity to handle mass casualties, complex surgeries, and unforeseen crises, whilst maintaining the highest standard of safety and efficiency, in an era of military science, where a robust and accessible blood supply is not merely a medical asset, but a strategic imperative.
“Since blood is the lifeline of trauma care, it is the expectation that our frontline medics can have instant access to this vital resource to eradicate preventable loss.
A blood bank is only as effective as the commitment of people to give or to donate. I urge all personnel, families, and the civilian community to regularly donate blood. By doing so, we ensure that this facility is always stocked. Let us give it an all-hands-on-deck approach, bearing in mind that every drop of blood stored here represents a second chance for someone’s son, daughter, mother, father, comrade, colleague or friend” he said.
General Gbetanu, stating that the name of the STEPHENS Family would always be honoured in the annals of GAF, presented an honour citation to the family, who have recently given a facelift to the Maternity Block at the 37 Military Hospital, and are championing an endeavour to upgrade the 1 Medical Reception at Michel Camp.
In a speech, Madam Maame Kwaaba Stephens, who received the citation on behalf of her mother – Mrs Stephens, and brother – Mr Nana Adjapong Stephens, said when GAFCCEH contacted for help for a blood bank, they knew the need was urgent, requiring immediate action.
She stated that ideally, blood should be waiting for the patient at the hospital, and not vice versa, and that as Ghana is yet to meet its blood requirement of about 330 units of blood annually, proactive interventions such as the establishment of the GAFCCEH blood bank, with dedicated staff, would aid in achieving that requirement.
Stating that the Stevens family have always sought opportunities to help address the issue of blood shortage, she added that every day, the lives of children, pregnant women at childbirth, cancer patients, accident victims, dialysis patients, and many more, depend on blood, and that it is a communal concern that requires every person to be responded to.
Of the CIMIC, she said “it is a testament to what can be achieved together if we work in partnership and in service with a common goal”, as she extolled personnel of GAFCCEH for exhibiting excellence in execution that civilians expect from the military.
Madam Kwaaba Stephens, along with some soldiers, later donated a pint of blood to the bank.
The Commander, GAFCCEH – Brigadier General (Brig Gen) Thomas Aquinas Gbireh, in his welcome speech, said the Acting Deputy Chief of Staff, Medical – Brig Gen Evelyn Vivian Abraham-Kwabiah envisioned the establishment of a blood bank, which hit a snag due to financial constraints, and through Maj Gen Raymond Ewusi (Rtd), the Stephens intervened.
The Stephens, he said, did not only donate the cash but also got on ground with personnel of GAFCCEH in every step of the planning and execution of the project, and also solicited support in cash and in kind from other sponsors.
Brig Gen Gbireh called on all Formations and Units, individual Officers, Soldiers, Defence Civilian Staff, and friends of GAF, to continue their proud tradition of service, by donating blood to the bank, as another call to duty.
GAFCCEH was a United Nations (UN) level field hospital facility which was inherited after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, hence, the scope of the military installation’s work has been dictated by the facilities handed over to them, after the UN gave the facility over to Government of Ghana, who in turn handed it over to GAF.
GAFCCEH’s services have thus focused on intensive care, high dependency care, emergency, and dialysis, all requiring blood, and that urgently.
The Critical Care Hospital has relied on its senior sister hospital – 37 Military Hospital – for all its blood supply, thus, apart from mitigating its own critical need, the GAFCCEH blood bank will also serve the wider neighboring health institutions, GAF health facilities, and as a reserve in readiness to provide blood for mass casualty incidents, since it is located closest to the Accra Airport.
NR MEDS, CORDIX HEALTHCARE LIMITED, ECOWAS BROWN CARD, GRACE DYNA MOVA INDISTRIES, VALUEACTIVE GHANA LIMITED, and DH INDUSTRIES, partnered the Stephens Family for the project.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
