A hospital in a remote part of Ghana will be brought up to date thanks to members of the Rotary Club of Canterbury.

They will help raise £172,000 with four other clubs over the next three to five years to rebuild the Maria Theresa Hospital at Dodi Papase in the Volta region.

The hospital serves a local population of 100,000 as well as many others from over the border of the neighbouring country, Togo.

The plans include rebuilding the operating theatre, providing a new power plant, a new water purification plant, medical equipment and staff training.

Representatives from the five Rotary Clubs have just returned from a fact-finding visit to monitor progress and hold discussions with the local project managers.

Past-president Sidney Denham, who lives in Harbledown, represented the Canterbury club.

“The visit was a complete success with all participants being convinced of both the need for the refurbishment and that the project will be well managed,” he said.

“This project will bring up to date the medical support provided to this remote part of Ghana.”

The five Rotary Clubs – Canterbury, Ludenscheid in Germany, Leuven in Belgium, St Quentin in France and Utrecht in Holland – form a pentangular partnership.

Each year one of the clubs hosts members of the other four for a weekend of culture, entertainment and fellowship.

The next pentangular in Canterbury will be in 2012.